


Savages

by Sinistretoile



Category: Fierce People (2005)
Genre: Arguing, Blow Jobs, Breaking and Entering, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Dark, Drowning, Eavesdropping, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Fear, Fingerfucking, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Masturbation, Mentions of past drowning, Mentions of past near drowning, Non-Consensual Voyeurism, Outdoor Sex, Panic, Panic Attacks, Peeping, Public Scene, Rough Body Play, Rough Sex, Semi-Public Sex, Semi-public sex acts, Stalking, Triggers, Vaginal Fingering, Watching, Watching Someone Sleep, Woman on Top
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-01-22 22:30:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 25,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18536767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinistretoile/pseuds/Sinistretoile
Summary: Following an accident on the job, Elaine Ferris takes the job as on-site physical therapist and masseuse for the 7th richest man in America, Ogden Osbourne. Determined to do her job without distraction, Elaine doesn’t let high society and it’s temptation draw her in. That is… Until Ogden’s grandson Bryce meets her. Bryce wants her from the moment he sees her. And nothing stands in the way of Bryce getting what he wants.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work will have triggering content. Stalking, manipulation, mentions of drowning, physical violence, sex and death. Each chapter will be tagged with the appropriate warnings. This is a psychological thriller and a love story. Bryce is a sociopath. His lines between good and bad and what’s appropriate are blurred by entitlement and absentee parents.

Elaine stared out the window. It had been 5 weeks since the accident. Her savings had run out and she had to come back to work, whether or not she was ready. The feeling of the floor dropping out from below her told her that she was not.  
“Elaine.” She snapped from her disassociated state and turned to the receptionist. “Drs. Leffler and Maxwell will see you now.” She closed her fist around her trembling fingers.  
“Elaine.” The older gentleman rose from his seat behind the desk and wrapped her in a surprising hug. She must have looked more fragile than she thought. “How are you?”  
“As good as can be expected.”  
“Well, I promise this is the best for everyone involved. Please, have a seat.” She sat in the other open chair next to whom she presumed was Dr. Leffler. “Elaine, this is Dr. Leffler.”  
He half rose out of the seat and offered her his hand. She shook it briefly but disinterestedly. “You have a position for me, Maxwell?”  
“I do. We do, actually. Dr. Leffler?”  
“I have a patient. A very wealthy patient who has requested a physical therapist and masseuse on staff.”  
“Alright.”  
“Just like that?”  
She sighed, looking down at her lap to smooth the pastel paisley patterned fabric over her thighs. “My savings has run out. I need this assignment.”  
“Don’t you want the details?” She held out her hand for the patient dossier on the desk. “Maxwell thought you’d need much more persuading than this.”  
“You’d be surprised what the worry of destitution will do for you.” She read down the list of requested services. Her gaze stopped halfway down the list. “No to the hydrotherapy.”  
“What? Why?”  
“Everything else is doable. But the hydrotherapy. I’m sorry.”  
Leffler looked at Maxwell, a little exasperated. Maxwell shrugged. “May-may I ask why?”  
“You can ask but it has nothing to do with my ability as a therapist.”  
“On the contrary, it does. If you are unable to perform a service-“  
“One service out of a list of fifteen requested services.” She set the dossier on the desk. “You two discuss this. I’m going to grab a coffee down the hall. And when I return, we’ll have a decision. Alright? Right.” She pushed up on the arms of the chair and left the men in the office to discuss her assignment to Leffler’s patient.  
Her hands shook as she poured the coffee, cream and sugar. She was not ready for this. She was not. But she had to be. She stared at the dark beige liquid, giving the men time to discuss her employment. The sickly sweet liquid caffeine burned its way down as sure as a shot of whiskey would have. She took a deep breath and walked back into the office. The men looked up from their low-volume conversation as she stepped into the room.

The police cruiser pulled up to the curb outside her apartment. She’d moved her belongings into storage. Her patient, Ogden Osbourne, was providing living arrangements on his property. She looked around the empty apartment, giving it the once over. She had her work cases stacked neatly by the door and several bags of clothes, a box of books and movies and a few personal items that she wanted to keep with her.  
The door buzzer startled her. “Come on up.”  
She opened the door and did one last check of the apartment. When she emerged from the bedroom, an older heavy set black man in a police uniform stood in her doorway. “Elaine Ferris?”  
“You must be Gates.” She smiled and extended her hand. He raised an eyebrow at her but shook her hand none the less.  
“Is this everything?”  
“Yea, I put everything in storage until it was decided if I’m staying on.” Gates appeared impressed by this, but only for a moment. “Please make sure we get the front stack loaded first. That’s my work kit. I can come back for the rest of this.”  
“And what’s the rest of this?”  
“Clothes, books, movies, personal hygiene.” She shrugged.  
“You don’t believe those are essential?”  
“I can shove the bare necessities into one bag if needs must. I’m going to do a job, Officer Gates, not impress the locals.” She didn’t see his smirk as he turned and grabbed the handles of the first two cases. She grabbed her portable table and the third case. A fourth and fifth case sat waiting with the rest of her belongings. Twenty minutes, some Tetris-like maneuvering, laughing and cursing, and they were on their way with her riding shotgun.  
A nearly three-hour trip upstate found them belting out 60s and 70s songs. Gates helped her unload the car. “Anything you need, you let me know, Elaine.”  
“Will do.” She paused as she turned to go into the house. “Oh! How am I to get to the main house?”  
“Mr. Osbourne will send a car around in the morning.”  
“Thanks again, Gates.” She watched the police cruiser pull around the decorative fountain in front of the cottage and out the brick archway. She drew in a lungful of fresh, countryside air. She could hear frog song and bird calls. She thought she saw a rabbit in the undergrowth. “Fucking Disney princess shit.” She giggled, legit giggled as she skipped into the house and locked the door behind her.  
She would need groceries so tomorrow afternoon would call for a trip into town. She plugged in her laptop. “Fuck. No wifi.” She sprawled in the chair and stared at the ceiling. “Book? Nap? Walk?”  
A knock at the door startled her. She jumped up and hurried to answer it. A little brunette maid smiled up at her. “Ms. Ferris?”  
“Yes.”  
“I’m Jilly. I’ll be your maid.”  
“Oh, that won’t be-“  
“It’s no problem. I’d rather clean your place than help in the big house.” She shrugged and stepped in the doorway. A delicious savory, meaty smell wafted up from the bag Jilly held with both hands. Elaine’s stomach growled, remembering it hadn’t been fed since a yogurt and a granola bar early that morning. “Mr. Osbourne sent over dinner. He also said to bring a grocery list with you in the morning so that it can be added to the daily town trip.”  
“That’s not-“  
Jilly held up her hand. “One thing you learn quick, Ms. Ferris, just let Mr. Osbourne help when he wants to. He can get real mad about his help being refused.”  
“O…k.” Elaine drew out the first letter.  
“Enjoy. I’ll be by in a day or two. I aired out the bedrooms and the left you some towels and toilet paper. If you need anything, just dial the main house and I’ll bring it my next day to clean.”  
“Thank you, Jilly.” She took the bag of food that the girl shoved into her hands. “Would you like to join me?”  
“Nah, I already ate.” She shrugged and jogged off.  
Elaine shook her head as she closed the door. Her stomach growled again. “Alright! Alright! And I’ve got the perfect wine for this.”

For the next two weeks, Elaine set up a routine. After her initial assessment of Ogden, Mr. Osbourne, she wrote up a care plan for his physical therapy. She also figured out a fairly quick path to the big house, as Jilly called it, through a back pasture between the servant housing and the main house itself. They’d given her a car to use but she only made use of it on extremely hot or rainy days.  
With Dr. Leffler’s help, she convinced Ogden to acquiesce to her demand of a clinical room. Yes, they would perform some of the services in a setting designed to relax Ogden. He was rather found of foot rubs in the sun room while he took his breakfast. But the more complex therapies, she did in a room set up for her purposes only.  
Today, Ogden had requested a full body massage poolside. She dreaded it. He’d agreed to the condition of no hydrotherapy but being that close to the water made her stomach twist and her own body tense up.  
“Daddy?”  
“Was is it, daughter? Can’t you see we’re busy?”  
Mrs. Langley raised an eyebrow, sipping from her straw in the soda can. She looked down her nose at Elaine, who sat astride Ogden’s hips, pushing the heels of her palms into the muscle tissue on either side of his spine. She would never be convinced otherwise that this lithe, young thing wasn’t fucking her dying father. “So this is Dr. Ferris?”  
“Oh, I’m not-“ Elaine paused her ministrations to correct Ogden’s daughter.  
“Mother.” Mrs. Langley looked confused to whom would be calling her ‘mother’. She looked around their immediate area.  
“Oh Maya.”  
The pretty brunette rolled her eyes. Her perpetually drunk mother didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Bryce is home.”  
“Fantastic.” The woman rolled her eyes. “Another of my ungrateful children to defy me on a daily basis.” She took an exaggerated sip from the straw.  
Ogden reached back and patted Elaine’s thigh. “Might we end the session early today? My grandson has returned from a month in France.”  
“Oh of course, I was nearly done anyway.” Elaine climbed down so that her client could sit up.  
“Wonderful.” Bryce chose the moment she was bent over gathering her supplies into her case to walk into the pool room. He raised an eyebrow at her perfect, shapely ass. Ogden didn’t miss his grandson’s appreciation of his new therapist.  
“Don’t get too spry today, Ogden. Your fall yesterday put pressure on your lower spine.”  
Bryce looked from this beautiful woman wiping her hands on a towel to his naked grandfather on the massage table. “Grandpa, you fell?”  
“Yes, well-“  
“Daddy, you fell?”  
Ogden waved away their concern. “My foot. Got caught on a stack of books in the library. It’s nothing. Really.”  
“You need to take it easy. Herbert, make sure he does.” The butler nodded, trying not to smirk too much.  
“I’m sorry. Who are you? Grandpa, mother, who is this?” Bryce pointed at Elaine, attempting to hide his interest with concern.  
“Bryce, this is Elaine Ferris. My physical therapist and masseuse. Elaine, this is my grandson, Bryce Langley.”  
Bryce flashed her a charming smile and extended his hand. “Pleasure.”  
“Sorry, my hands are oily.” Bryce shrugged and leaned his hand closer. Elaine shrugged herself then took his hand. “Would you make sure your grandfather takes it easy?”  
“Will do, beautiful.” She blushed. He smiled even more. She realized they were still shaking hands and pulled her hand away.  
“Join us for lunch, Ellie?”  
“No thank you, Mr. Osbourne.”  
“Oh please, will you?” Maya glanced at her out of it and always irritated mother then her brother. She could practically see him undressing with his eyes and eye-fucking the therapist. She nudged him to get him to help.  
“Ow, hey.” He rubbed his ribs, which did not in fact hurt. It was that she caught him by surprise. “Yes, join us. I’d love it if you did.”  
“I-“  
Ogden stood with a groan and wrapped the towel around his naked form. “It’s settled then. Herbert, set the table for five instead of two.”  
“Yes, sir.”  
Elaine gathered her things and carried them to the therapy room. She replaced the oils, lotions and stones back in their spots. She turned to go back to the pool room for her table and screamed, startled to find Bryce watching her from the door.  
Bryce had taken the opportunity to get her alone by grabbing the folding, portable table and taking it back to the room for her. He had watched her meticulously return things to their rightful place. He appreciated the way her body moved as she reached for a higher shelf then crouched to check supplies.  
He hadn’t been expecting her to turn around and startled with she screamed. “Oh fuck! You scared the hell out of me.”  
“Could say the same.” He chuckled. “You looked like you were concentrating and I didn’t want to interrupt.”  
“What are you doing here?”  
“I was curious about the ‘therapy room’. And I brought your table.” He lifted it easily with one hand.  
“Thank you. It goes in the closet over there, vertically.”  
Bryce nodded, looking over his shoulder at her. She tossed the dirty towels into a hamper then crossed to a sink to wash the remaining oils off her hands. “You know, I was expecting something more New Age-y and relaxed.”  
She laughed. “Why’s that?”  
“Well, Grandpa said you were a masseuse. Don’t you all go into the Eastern way of thinking?”  
She snorted. “For starters, I’m not just a masseuse, Mr. Langley.”  
“Whoa, Mr. Langley is my father. Please call me Bryce.”  
“Bryce then, I’m a physical therapist AND a masseuse. While I do preach the benefits of meditation to relax the body, I’m a scientist and a medical professional. Not to mention an atheist.” She turned off the water and dried her hands.  
Bryce licked his lips. He liked her spunk. Grandpa had made a good choice with this one. “My apologies, Dr. Ferris.”  
“I’m not a doctor. I don’t know who told people that.”  
Bryce shrugged. “It’ll do more to impress people around here.”  
“Which isn’t why I’m here.” She crossed the soft, yet low pile carpet to hand Bryce the hand towel. “I’m here to help ease your Grandfather’s physical pain without the use of debilitating and highly addictive drugs. I’m not here to impress anyone.”  
“Too late.”  
She blushed again, biting her lip which nearly set him off, and shoved the towel into his muscular chest. “Now wash your hands. That oil has eucalyptus in it which is poisonous.”  
“Yes, ma’am.”

Bryce couldn’t keep his eyes off Elaine. She was funny and intelligent. Her genuine smile reached her eyes. She cared about his grandfather’s well-being, not that he was seventh-richest man in America. Lunch turned into the afternoon spent on the terrace, laughing and telling stories of the sordid Parisian adventures of grandfather and now of grandson, as well.  
“Fuck.” The teenagers startled at her brusque use of the word. “Sorry. Language.” Ogden and his grandchildren giggled at her apology. “I’ve gotta go. I wanted to run into the city to get some of my belongings.”  
“You didn’t bring everything?” Ogden looked surprised.  
“I wasn’t sure I was going to stay on.” She shrugged her shoulders then pushed back the chair. “I’m still debating that decision. It’s only been a few weeks, Mr. Osbourne.”  
Bryce chanced a glance at his grandfather. The man looked stricken. His once handsome face shut down in a frown. The only emotion visible in his eyes. Bryce felt that desperation in his gut. He needed her to stay. He wanted her. And Bryce Langley always got what he wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

Elaine asked for the following day off. She planned to have a couple friends over to the house that she hadn’t seen since she’d moved in nearly two months ago. Ogden was more than happy to comply. She drove the little sports car they’d given her into town to do some shopping.  
She’d been slowly bringing her things from storage. She really enjoyed working with Ogden and his grandchildren were amazing. His daughter, not so much. But Elaine felt for her, she really did. Husband comatose and invalid in a nursing facility. Perhaps, she’d offer her services to Mrs. Langley. Oh no. No. Bryce. She’d bring it up to Bryce. Mrs. Langley hated her for some reason that she couldn’t fathom. Elaine was in no way a threat to the woman’s position. Whereas the Langley children were living their best life as only high society, white, privileged kids can do, their mother was the living dead.  
“Elaine?” She startled. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to scare you.”  
“No, I was just lost in my head, Dr. Leffler.”  
“Still, forgive me. How are things going with Ogden?”  
“Fantastic. He’s able to move a little better and still on minimum dosage of- well you know. You’re his doctor.”  
“And everyone else?”  
She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think Mrs. Langley likes me much.”  
“Well, she thinks you’re fucking her father.”  
“What!” Elaine’s eyes bugged out. Leffler laughed. “No, that’s not true. Ogden’s never even made a pass at me.”  
“What about Bryce?”  
“What about him?”  
“Has he made a pass at you?”  
“Well, of course. He’s a spoiled little rich boy. I’d be worried if he didn’t.” Leffler smiled at her tongue in cheek remark. “But in all seriousness, I know my place, doctor. And it’s not in their world. I’m just the help. And when the cancer finally takes Ogden, I’ll have to find something else.”  
Dr. Leffler smiled again, warm and affectionate. “If there’s anything you need, Elaine, you just give me a call.”  
“Will do.”  
“Might I escort you on the rest of your shopping today?” He offered his elbow and she laughed, shaking her head.  
“No but thank you, doctor.” They exchanged a polite hug and she left him on the sidewalk, going into the shop she’d been standing outside.

Bryce pulled up the tracking app on his phone and found the location of the Jaguar F-Type his grandfather was allowing Elaine to use. Not once did he question the ethics of this action. He felt a strong pull to her and that pull would not be denied. He grinned down at his phone. She was in town. Perfect. He would arrange a ‘chance’ meeting with her.  
He pulled into a parking spot along the street as soon as he spotted her. He looked away long enough to unbuckle the seat belt and turn the car off. When he looked up, Dr. Leffler was making eyes at her as they spoke. His hands gripped the wheel tightly and twisted. The leather creaked with his force. He clenched his jaw and breathed through his nose. He couldn’t tell what was being said but he didn’t like the way the doc was leaning into her. He smirked arrogantly as she shook her head at his offered arm. His gut twisted with jealousy and he almost vomited into the floorboard when they hugged. Then she was alone again.  
Bryce closed his eyes and breathed slowly in and out. He’d been paying attention to the meditation tips Ellie had given his grandfather. His anger soon passed. He watched her disappear into the next shop, a satellite from a local winery. He waited until she was at the checkout counter before he got out of the car.  
His timing was perfect. She said goodbye over her shoulder, not paying attention to where she was going. They collided. Her grip on the neck of the bottle of wine slipped and fell to the sidewalk, shattering.  
“Shit. I’m-I’m so sorry.” She crouched to pick up the soaked brown paper and the broken glass.  
“It’s fine, Ellie. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”  
“Bryce?” She hissed as she nicked her finger on a sharp point hidden in the bag. “Fuck.”  
“Are you ok?” He crouched with her and took her wrist in his hand. She started to protest but he sucked her finger into his mouth. Her lips parted in surprised arousal as his tongue swirled the coppery blood from her fingertip and he sucked. “There. Just a scratch.” His thumb rubbed her palm.  
She stared at him in blatant lust for a moment before she swallowed and blinked, carefully drawing her hand away. “Thank you.” What the fuck was she thanking him for? He smiled.  
The shop owner stepped out of the door. “Everything alright?”  
Bryce smiled up at the middle-aged woman. “Everything is fine, Mrs. Swan. I’d like to replace the bottle wine Ellie dropped.”  
“Oh, Bryce, no. You don’t-“  
“I insist.”  
“I’m afraid you can’t, Bryce.”  
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow as he stood. Elaine stood up as well.  
“That was the last one.”  
“Very well, a comparable bottle then?”  
“Of course.” The woman smiled. They ducked back into the shop.  
“Mrs. Swan, can you have it delivered to Ellie’s cottage, please? So there’s no more accidents?” Elaine looked down and away, blushing fiercely.  
“Of course, Bryce. Will there be anything else?”  
“Yes, actually.” Elaine moved away as Bryce continued his purchase. She gotten lost looking over the rack of wines. She jumped at his voice right at her ear. “Ready?” His hand felt like a warm weight on the small of her back.  
“Yeah, yes.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. She didn’t tell him to move his hand. And she didn’t tell him she could finish her shopping on her own. She should have. But the butterflies in her belly and the wetness in her panties kept her from doing so. They should have been the reason that she did. But she didn’t.  
As they walked down the sidewalk, Bryce’s hand moved from the small of her back around her waist. She instinctively adjusted her walk to be closer to him at the minute urging. He smirked to himself as he looked down at her. He licked his lips, sniffing her hair imperceptibly. “Where to next, beautiful?”  
“The chocolatier.” They walked the next block in companionable silence. “What brings you into town?”  
He shrugged. “Bored at the house.” His tone changed. “We went to visit my father yesterday and my mother is in a mood.”  
“Great.” She rolled her eyes. “Shit, I’m sorry.”  
Bryce laughed. “Don’t worry about it.”  
“I don’t know why she doesn’t like me. Dr. Leffler said she thinks I’m fucking your grandfather.”  
“Are you?”  
“What?” She moved away from him, stopping their slow pace. “Why does everyone think that?”  
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “He’s rich. You’re younger and beautiful.”  
“Bryce.”  
He shrugged. “You asked. So are you?”  
“No.” She turned and started walking away. “And fuck you for even thinking I was.”  
“Whoa whoa whoa, I’m sorry.” He jogged in front of her and grabbed both her arms. “Hey, Ellie, I mean it. I’m sorry.”  
“Fine.”  
“Good.” He resisted the urge to pull her in for a kiss.  
“And for your information, I am not fucking Ogden.”  
Bryce held the door open for her. “So, do you have a hot date?”  
“Why do you ask?”  
“Expensive wine, the special list of food Jilly delivered, chocolates, fresh flowers.”  
She glanced down at her parcels in her arm. “Would it matter if I did?”  
“No.” Yes. “Is it Leffler?”  
She laughed and drew attention to them from the salesperson at the counter. “No, Leffler is not my type. Ogden isn’t either. I’m having some friends up from the city.”  
“So what is your type?” Me?  
You. She shook her head. “Not answering that question, Bryce.”  
“Oh come on.”  
The salesperson saved her. “And how can I help you folks today?”  
Elaine moved up to the glassed in counter. “It all looks so tasty.”  
“Thank you.”  
“Do you make everything yourself?”  
“I do. And my wife.”  
She smiled at the woman. “That’s fantastic. What would you recommend?”  
“What do you like?”  
“Everything.” The pair of women laughed.  
Bryce watched her with a smile on his face. She was a breath of fresh air in his repetitive, entitled life of privilege. Her eyes lit up at the prospect of chocolate. “Rachel, can we get a sample of everything?”  
“What?” Elaine and Rachel both looked up from their conversation on organic honey.  
“Of course, Bryce, I’ll set it up in the sun room.” Bryce led the way into the sun room, which was really a recessed window with a café table and a pair of chairs.  
“Bryce, what are you doing? I can’t afford this.”  
“Don’t worry about it.”  
“But-“  
“I insist.” She opened her mouth to protest but he put his hand over it. Ellie’s pupils dilated and the dropping sensation in her belly made her wet again. “How are you to make an informed decision unless you try a little of everything?” He slipped his hand into her hair behind her ear. “Besides, it gives me a chance to find out what you like.” And spend more time with you. Her breath hitched as he leaned in.  
“Would you two like something to drink? Oh!” Rachel pulled up short with a serving tray of decadent handmade chocolates cut into two. Her wife, Abby, was finishing up the last half of the sampling. Bryce successfully hid his irritation, covering it with a charming smile.  
“That’d be splendid.”  
“Champagne?”  
“Please.” Bryce dropped his hand from her hair then stepped around her to pull out her chair. It gave her a moment to get her wits about her. It had been perhaps a little too long since she’d been laid. Because he was hitting all her tells, either by luck or because he could read her that well.  
“Here you go.” Rachel set down two glasses of champagne. “And just put a check by the number of the ones you like and we’ll get you a box ready.”  
“Thank you.” Abby brought in the second tray of chocolates.  
Elaine laughed softly. “Good thing neither of us are diabetic.”  
The next hour consisted of munching on chocolates and flirting while drinking champagne. She leaned back in the chair. “I can’t. I can’t eat anymore.”  
“Me neither.” He leaned back as well then sat forward. “Besides, I think we’ve eaten them all.”  
She pushed herself up by her elbows. “Nope, there’s one left.” Despite her declaration that she couldn’t eat anymore, she popped one half of the gooey, green and chocolate confection into her mouth. She closed her eyes and moaned, chewing slowly to savor the taste.  
Bryce’s eyes widened then hooded in intense and immediate desire. His cock twitched. She sighed and moaned again, swallowing the pistachio, honeycomb and dark chocolate candy. She opened her eyes and blushed. The look on his face was nothing short of a man who had seem something he wanted to devour.  
“Sorry.”  
“Don’t be. That was…” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Thoroughly satisfying to watch.”  
“You’ve gotta try this one.” She plucked it up. He thought she meant to feed it to him. His cock twitched again. His tongue rolled over his lips, anticipating her fingers against his lips, tasting the different flavors left on her fingers from their sampling. She grinned, that giddy twinkle back in her eyes as she popped into her mouth and chewed.  
“Hey!” His mock indignation was a scandalized mask on his handsome face. Her champagne buzzed and sugar high giggle pinged through him. He darted forward, claiming her lips with his. She whimpered, resting her hands on his broad, muscular shoulders. He cupped her jaw with his strong yet soft hand. His tongue swept into her mouth. He could taste the cacophony of flavors they’d tried on her tongue but the pistachio and honey were the strongest. He leaned into her, deepening the kiss and tasting her more. He growled softly as her tongue joined his.  
Rachel’s scuffing footfall pulled them apart. “My apologies.”  
Elaine recovered. “No, no please, you’re fine.” Bryce leaned back into his chair, thankful that the table hid his half-erection. “I’ll take a dozen of the pistachio-honeycomb.”  
“Excellent! And anything for you, Bryce?”  
“Yeah, just give me a minute.”  
Elaine blushed and looked down at the candied destruction they’d created. She giggled. “Bryce?”  
“Yeah, Ellie?”  
“I don’t think I can drive.”  
“Me neither.” They giggled and he pressed his forehead to hers. “I’ll call Gates.”  
“Good idea.”


	3. Chapter 3

The car pulled into the circle drive. The two women had ogled the big house as they’d driven past. Heron dotted the shoreline of the lake. It was all picturesque and perfect. The fountain burbled softly as they climbed out, leaving their overnight bags in the trunk.  
The door of the cottage flew open. Elaine and her two best friends screamed in joy then ran into each other’s arms, hugging fiercely yet awkwardly.  
“This place is ridiculous.”  
“You have no idea.” She laughed. Champagne and sugar still made her head swim. Gates had dropped Bryce off at the big house then dropped her off at her cottage. He’d promised to collect her car before night fall. “Come on, let’s get inside. You two must be tired from driving.”  
“I need a drink.”  
“Well, I have just the thing.” She heard a rustle in the bushes. It wasn’t uncommon. The wildlife knew no fear here. Yet, she couldn’t explain HER fear that crept up her spine and prickled her scalp. She couldn’t explain the primal feeling of prey that settled her belly and soured the sweet champagne and candies. She couldn’t explain why the rustling, far enough away from her to give her time to dart into the house and lock the door, made her uneasy. Why it felt different. Why she felt like someone watched her and that that someone had the capability of hurting her.  
“Ellie?”  
She turned back to her best friends. Something must have showed on her face. “You ok?”  
“I’m fine. I…I just heard something. It’s probably a rabbit. Fucking Disney princess shit.” She forced herself to smile. Her friends laughed and they slipped into the cottage. She didn’t see the man-shaped shadow that moved under the tree line.

 

Sushi. Wine. Chocolate. Music. Dancing. The evening flowed over Ellie and her best friends Belle and Maddie. That fear that had gripped her in the drive faded into forgetfulness. Belle popped another chocolate into her mouth and lounged back on the sofa.  
“Anything worth writing home about up here?”  
“None that I’ve seen yet.” Liar.  
Maddie topped off her wine then Ellie’s. “What about the grandson? Bryan?”  
“Bryce, and no.”  
“No, he’s not hot? Or no, you’re not thinking of testing him out?”  
“Oh Bryce is definitely hot. He’s funny and charming and sweet.”  
“I hear a ‘but’ in your tone.”  
“But-“ She emphasized it in Belle’s face. “but he’s my client’s grandson. That’s a conflict of interest.”  
“Like anyone around here cares.”  
“I care, Bells. I came here to do a job not become one of the locals.”  
Maddie scoffed. “Oh please, would that really be so bad?”  
“Honestly, no. This place is perfect, picture fucking perfect.” She sipped her wine, her stained lips curling into a smile as she remembered their kiss. The wine and the memory lit her blood on fire.  
“She blushes and smiles.”  
“Spill!” The best friends yelled in unison.  
“Fine.” She sighed. “We kissed.”  
“Kissed? That’s not so bad.”  
“Oh it most definitely is.”  
Belle shook her head with incredulity. “Why? Is he a bad kisser?”  
“No, he’s a fantastic kisser. It’s bad because it was so fucking good. If we hadn’t been in a public place, I’d have climbed into his lap.”  
“No shit?”  
“It’s like he just knows.”  
“Listen.” Belle stood up from the couch and squeezed into the chair beside her. “Ogden is dying, right?”  
“Bells.” Ellie tried to get up only to be yanked back down.  
“No. Listen to me. Listen to your best friend. Your client is dying. He has an expiration date. Whether it’s sooner or later. And when that happens, that conflict of interest goes away. Which you’re here to CARE FOR his grandfather not shuffle him loose the mortal coil. So I really don’t see a conflict but whatever.” She took a hearty drink of her wine. “Just…break the rules this once.”  
“If ONE kiss makes you wanna fuck him in public, imagine what an intense make out sesh could lead to.” She already had and by her silence, her best friends knew it. They erupted into laughter.  
The song changed ‘You can do it’ by Ice Cube. They howled and jumped up. The beat thumped in their chests. The three of them danced on each other before Ellie hopped onto the coffee table to whoops and hollers. She held her hands above her head and spun in a circle, winding her hips. Belle and Maddie whistled and screamed, catcalling her.  
Ellie raised leg, bending at the knee and bumped her ass. Belle grinded on Maddie while Ellie dropped it down then popped back up then did it again, slower. The song ended and they collapsed onto each other on the couch laughing.

 

After Gates had dropped Bryce off at the big house, he’d run up to his room. He didn’t meet anyone on the way, not that he would have hidden his tented out shorts. Bryce Langley was never embarrassed by sexual desire or sexuality. To him, it was natural and primal and not something that should be hidden away with puritanical embarrassment.  
The door slammed harder than he’d intended but that didn’t matter. The size of the house would swallow the sound. He opened the khaki slacks and reached in, stroking his throbbing, hard cock. He crawled onto the California King. His mind filled with the image of her Elaine underneath him, her legs wrapped around him. He held himself up on one elbow as he stroked his cock, fucking his hand as he humped the mattress. His breath came in grunts and pants. He remembered the taste of her tongue in his mouth.  
He imagined how good it would feel to slide balls deep into her hot, wet cunt. His ass clenched as he fucked the mattress. She’d be so snug around his long, thick cock, squeezing the fuck out of him. Her moans would fall from those lush lips like a song, screaming his name and marking his back.  
“Fuck, Ellie…” As if saying her name was the trigger, the pressure swelled and broke. He groaned, cumming in the silk boxers. He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. His heart hammered in his chest. She wanted him. He could see it in her eyes, feel it in her body when he’d pulled her close. He didn’t bother to change his boxers. He tucked himself away and did up his pants.  
He knew the short cut across the high grass field to her cottage from the big house. And before long, he stood underneath the shadows of the tree line. He’d watched her pace the cottage for a good 15 minutes before the car pulled into the driveway. The door flew open and she’d bounced on the balls of her feet, practically vibrating with nervous energy. His belly twisted in jealousy at how happy she was to see the two women in the car.  
Bryce wanted her to be that happy to see him. He hated those two women in that moment and wanted to hurt them. He could console Ellie. She’d see how kind and caring he was. He thought she’d seen him when she’d turned around but she didn’t call out to him. Had he made a noise? Whatever, she’d been spooked.  
He should have left then. But he couldn’t stop watching her. He didn’t want to stop. He loved watching her body move as she and her friends danced around the kitchen while they made their dinner, homemade sushi. He loved watching her laugh and smile. He enjoyed watching her eat and enjoy her food.  
When the sun set, he was able to move closer. He could hear the other women talking about their significant others. One was married, the brunette, and they were apparently trying to have a baby. The tiny one with the short black hair, she was a lesbian and had broken with her long term partner. Then the conversation switched to Ellie. Did he see her lips part and her pupils dilate when she talked about him? Was she remembering the kiss and how much she wanted him? This was confirmation now. And her friends were encouraging her to pursue him.  
His trousers grew tight watching her dance. Maybe she knew he was watching and was dancing provocatively for just for him. He thought he saw her glance at the window more than once. But he was fairly certain that he stood far enough back in the shadows that he couldn’t be seen. After their dancing, they finished the wine and chocolates, laying against one another as they caught up over the last few months. Then they dispersed to bed.  
The light went out and he heard a gasp within. “Ellie!” Bryce moved to the side of the window then sidestepped down the side of the house until he was around the corner.  
“What?”  
“I thought I saw someone.”  
“Did you get a look at them?”  
“No, just a shape. Like a man.”  
“I’ll call Gates.” She picked up her cellphone and dialed the head of security.  
“Hello?” The voice was sleepy but not groggy like she’d woken him up, more like he’d been about to go to bed.  
“Gates? It’s Elaine.”  
“Everything alright?”  
“My friend…thought she saw someone peeping in the window.”  
She heard Gates sigh down the line. “I’ll be out in a minute. You ladies stay inside the house. Close your curtains. Whoever it is could still be watching.”  
Bryce climbed up the access to the second floor and sat in the shadow of the eve. He saw the headlights of Gates' car as it approached. His handsome face set in a smirk. No way that fat fuck would find him up here. Sure, he could have gone back to the house. But why? She hadn’t seen his face, just his outline. He was safe. He stayed still while Gates checked the house.  
“Whoever it was, they're gone. But if you see anything else, don’t hesitate to call me. If someone’s lurking around and he isn’t supposed to be here, that’s a problem.”  
“Of course.”  
“You ladies sure you’re ok? I can watch from outside the gate.”  
He saw Ellie look at the other two. “No, no I think we’re fine. I think we’re just going to go to bed. Thanks again, Gates.”  
“No problem, Elaine.” The officer dropped into his cruiser and pulled out of the drive. The women ducked back into the house. He listened to the shuffling around underneath him. The muffled ‘good nights’.  
The light came on in the room by which he sat. He could see her shadow silhouetted on the trees outside the window. She hummed to herself as she changed into her pajamas. He heard her sigh as she got into bed then the light switched out. She sighed again only the tone was different. He raised an eyebrow. He moved around, careful not to make any noise, so he could peer in the window.  
By the moonlight, her breasts were bare. The sheets pooled in her lap. Her knees were bent and open underneath. His eyes widened in surprise. Her eyes were closed, lips parted. Where the trousers were snug during her dancing, now they became tight. His cock pressed against the zipper. Her nipples were hard and she played with one breast, kneading the plump flesh and pinching the nipple.  
Though her face was a picture, his eyes kept moving lower. Her belly clenched and released. The sheet lay over her hand but he could see it move against her pussy. Her hips undulated. He wondered what she thought of. Her thighs flexed, moving like a butterfly’s wings. He had the impulse to open the window and crawl inside.  
She’d taste sweeter than she had that afternoon. She whimpered. Could she hear his thoughts? He licked his lips, watching her. Her back arched, pushing her breasts out. “Oh fuck…” Her thighs began to shake, pleasure raced through her as she rubbed her clit. “Oh fuck. Bryce. Bryce, don’t stop.” It was barely a whisper. Quiet words on panting breath but he heard them. He grinned. She was his. It was only a matter of time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a very uncomfortable, inappropriate scenes in this chapter. But it's not exactly triggering just uncomfortable and inappropriate.
> 
> Also discussion of whether a comatose character is alive or not. Also, they didn't give Bryce's father a name in the movie so I took the liberty of giving him one.

They sat in the sun room. Ogden sipped his coffee, his newspaper folded to the financial times. Elaine sat across from him with his foot between her thighs. “Did you enjoy your weekend?”  
“I did. Thank you for the time off.”  
“You’re welcome. I’m not a slave driver, you know.” She laughed and he smiled behind his coffee cup. “Gates told me you had a peeping tom?” He raised his eyebrow in curiosity.  
She shook her head. “Maddie thought she saw a man in the window. Gates didn’t find anything.” Ogden hummed and fell quiet. She tapped his calf and he switched feet. They stayed like this until she finished working his foot. “Ogden, there’s something I wanted to ask.”  
“Anything, Elaine.”  
She began gathering her kit. “I wanted to offer my services to your son-in-law.” Ogden slowly lowered the paper. “I figured I would extend the offer to you or Bryce. I don’t think Mrs. Langley would accept them from me.”  
“And what would you do for him? The same as you do for me?”  
“No, no. It would be different, less intensive. Merely to help with the circulation in his atrophied muscles.”  
“While my daughter has say over her husband’s care, I pay for it. I’ll run it by Bryce.”  
“Run what by me?”  
They both looked up to see Bryce standing in the doorway of the sun room with his hands in his pockets, charming smile on his handsome face. His eyes flicked to Elaine and they darkened momentarily. Ogden recovered first. “Elaine offered her services for your father.”  
“Mother wouldn’t like that.”  
“Because she doesn’t like me.”  
“No, she doesn’t.” He shrugged. “But if you accompany me on a visit, I don’t see why she’d have to know.”  
“Excellent.” Ogden smiled. “Any plans for the day, Ellie?”  
“A trip to the farmer’s market and the chocolatier. I’m in love with their pistachio honeycomb thingies.”  
Bryce stood when she did. “I’ll go with you. And we can go by so that you can at least meet my father.”  
“Fantastic idea.” Ogden pushed himself up from the chair. “Afterwards, come back here for the pool party.”  
Elaine’s belly dropped and she shook her head. “Oh, I couldn’t impose.”  
“Nonsense. It’s no imposition.”  
“Ogden, I don’t think it’s appropriate.”  
“Hang appropriate. I insist.”  
Bryce took her hands in his. “Please? For me.” Elaine hoped he couldn’t feel her hands begin to tremble. “Ellie? Please?” He brought their joined hands to his lips, resting her knuckles there. He gave her puppy dog eyes.  
“Bryce-” She begged him with her eyes. Don’t make me do this. Her scalp prickled and she could practically feel the water filling her lungs. She knew that wasn’t possible. She was standing in a room, bathed in sunlight with temptation holding her hands.   
Maya walked in at that moment. “Did you ask her, grandpa?”  
“I did.”  
“You’re coming right?” The pretty little brunette bounced on her heels.  
Ellie’s desperate gaze flicked from Bryce’s persuasion to Maya’s hopeful elation. She sighed, ignoring the violent twisting in her gut. “Alright, I’ll be there.”  
“Yay!” Maya hugged her over Bryce’s hands. He had yet to let her go. “Do you have a suit?” She shook her head. “I have one that will look a-Mazing on you.”  
“I don’t swim.”  
Maya shrugged. “Then don’t. But what better way to make these gross old men drool over what they can’t have?” Maya winked then hurried off, leaving her grandfather laughing and her brother smirking.  
“She’s kidding, right?”  
Bryce shrugged. “Come on.” He let go of one hand but not the other. That’s how they spent the rest of the afternoon, except the drive. He rested his hand in the middle of her thigh. It felt like a warm weight. Every so often, he’d smooth his fingers back and forth over her creamy flesh, but he never attempted to move up towards the apex of her thighs, despite the gnawing urge in his gut to. He could feel the tension in her thigh, like she expected him to as well. But he didn’t.  
He held her hand through the market and carried her basket with the other. She noticed the jealous and lingering looks the pair of them received, especially when he would lean in to talk softly to her. He adored the scent of her hair and skin. She was a veritable wonderland for him to explore, just waiting for him. Yet, he remained the gentleman. He even bought her chocolates for her. Cleaned out all their pistachio honeycomb ‘thingies’, despite her protests.  
“Bryce, I can’t let you do that.”  
“You’re not letting me. I’m doing it.”  
“Bryce, please.”  
“Ellie, it’s something you enjoy. I love your face when you’re enjoying it.” She blushed, perhaps darker than she realized. He howled with laughter. “Worth it. That adorable blush is worth every cent.” He kissed her cheek and she blushed more. The pink flush spread down her chest. He bit his lip. “I like it when you smile. And when you blush.”  
She sighed. “Alright, alright. But you have to stop, Bryce. People will begin to talk.”  
He shrugged. “So let them. What does it matter?”  
Her belly twisted. She waited to answer until they’d left the shop. “It matters because people around here think I’m a doctor. They also think I’m fucking your grandfather. I don’t need them to think I’m fucking you too.”  
“Pretty impressive if you’re fucking both of us.”  
“Bryce!”  
He howled with laughter and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Tasteless joke, Ell.” She allowed him to hold her close for a moment before he allowed her to shove him off. He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. “Forgive me?” He raised his eyebrow, lips curled in a cocksure smirk.  
She sighed. “Fine, you’re forgiven.” He grinned and moved in for a kiss. She sucked in a breath. She wanted this but not here, not with people watching them like it was entertainment. “Bryce, not here.”  
He rested his forehead against hers. “Any female in this town would love to be in your shoes right now.”  
“That was the completely wrong thing to say, Bryce.” She ducked away and pulled her hand from his. She would’ve tried to grab her bag from him, but she knew he wouldn’t let it go. Instead, she simply walked away. He rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw. He scratched ‘inciting jealousy’ off his mental list. He sighed and pursued her.  
“Ellie, wait. Elaine. Hey, hey, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He reached for her wrist. His fingers barely brushed her skin before she pulled it out of his reach.  
She stopped and turned to him then looked around to see if people were watching. They were. She clamped down on her anger and grabbed his hand and hastily led him to an alleyway. “Look, Bryce. I’m not here for you to parade around like a conquest. I don’t give a fuck that half these women, no matter their age, want to fuck you. I’m not a toy and I refused to be treated like one.”  
“I’m sorry. I-”  
“Are you really?”  
“Yes.” His voice had risen. He took a deep breath. He wasn’t used to women not fawning over him. Maya was the only female who ever gave him shit. He rolled his neck. “Yes, I’m sorry. I’m just used to people wanting to be seen with me.”  
She looked at him with a touch of pity and he hated it. He’d seen it in everyone’s faces after his father’s accident. He wanted to grab her by the throat, see fear bloom in her eyes. Fear was better than pity. He clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared. “Oh, Bryce.” Her demeanor changed. She cupped his face in her hands. He flinched at the touch of her fingertips then allowed it. “I’m not here to be seen with you or use you. This…whatever this is between us…this is a surprise.”  
“What?”  
“I came here to do a job. And this…attraction between us was the last thing I expected.” He wrapped his hands around her wrists then closed the distance between them, claiming her lips in a passionate, possessive kiss. She whimpered. He moved her hands from his face, wrapping his arms around her, and therefore her arms around her back. It pushed her chest out and into him. He spun them around and backed her into the wall, giving her no escape.  
Bryce broke the kiss, nuzzling his nose with hers. “You’re something else, you know that.”  
“So I’ve been told.” She chuckled breathlessly. His hooded eyes flicked from hers to her kiss-swollen lips. Their blown out pupils mirrored each other. His gaze dropped to her rabbiting pulse and further still to her heaving chest. He wanted to get his mouth on her throat, her skin. He licked his lips. “Bryce. Not here.” She didn’t try to fight him or get loose. She wanted this as much as he did. She was right though. Not here.  
He sighed and looked back in her eyes. He stayed silent for a moment, letting her see his desire-darkened eyes. His clenched jaw and flared nostrils, his flushed face and kiss-swollen lips. He took in her disheveled appearance. At least she was as wrecked as he was. “You’re right.” He let go of her wrist to loosely hold her throat. He put no pressure there, simply held her. “I want you all to myself.” He kissed her again, roughly, soundly, before letting her go. “We should probably head to the hospital.”  
“Yeah.” She swallowed and composed herself. He took her hand, locking their fingers together. He kept glancing at her the whole way back to the car.

Nathaniel Langley was not in a nursing home. He was in long term at the local hospital. She glanced around as they strolled through the lobby to the elevators. This place was in no danger of losing funding. It made her a little bitter and resentful, for all the good hospitals who struggled to find and keep funding to care for their patients in need.  
“What do you think?”  
“It’s a nice hospital. Very nice. I was expecting a care home though.”  
“You mean a nursing home?”  
“Well, yes.”  
Bryce shook his head. “Mother wouldn’t hear of such a phrase. And they’re not in a terrible need around here. Most of the rich infirm are taken care of at home. But, Mother.” He shook his head and she could tell this subject irritated him. “Mother couldn’t handle having my comatose father at home. It was too much for her.”  
“Bryce, I’m sorry.”  
He shook his head. “I don’t think he’s even still in there. I don’t know if it’s Mother or Maya who cling to their hope.”  
She touched his arm. He smiled. She felt like it was supposed to be a sad smile, but it was empty. “Were you close with your father?”  
“Nah.” He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “I was closer with grandpa.” The doors opened and Bryce led the way down the hall to his father’s room. Halfway down the hall, he uncrossed his arms and slipped his hand into hers. It must have upset him even still. The only sounds in the room were the soft hum of the air conditioning and the pressurized pumping of the respirator. It didn’t look like a hospital room. It looked like a bedroom within Ogden’s mansion. Chintz and brocade over crisp white linen. She could still smell the disinfectant.  
Bryce plastered on a smile and moved toward the bed. “Dad, this is Elaine Ferris. Ellie, this is my dad, Nathaniel Langley.”  
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Langley. I’m a physical therapist. I work with your father-in-law.” She sat on the edge of the bed. “And I offered my services to Ogden and Bryce for you.” The monitor was silent. She shook her head. Of course, couldn’t have the dreadful beeping. “How long has he been like this?”  
“Since the accident.” Bryce slipped his hands into his pockets. “About 3 years now.”  
Ellie reached up to take his hand but settled for his wrist. “I’m sorry.”  
Bryce shrugged. “Can’t help sentimentality. I know my father’s not in there anymore. That’s just a meat sack that used to be him. But I pretend for Mother and Maya. They believe he’s still in there.”  
“Do you want me to do this?”  
“No.” There was absolutely no hesitation. He looked down at her. “I think it’s a waste of your time. Just like it’s a waste of my time to visit here twice a week with Mother and Maya.” He pulled his hands from his pockets and clenched them into fists. “It’s a waste of grandpa’s money and this hospital’s resources.” He looked at her. Elaine tried and failed to suppress the shiver that ran through her. “My father is dead.”  
“Bryce.” She stood up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He rested his hands on her hips, letting her hold him as his rage subsided. He urged her back and looked at her. She got the sense that he was hiding something. That he wanted to tell her the reason behind his rage and not that this was all a waste. Instead, he kissed her. Hard. He held the back of her head while he ravaged her mouth. His other arm locked around her waist. She whimpered, melting into him. He growled in the back of his throat. With surprising strength, he lifted her up, manhandling her to the tiny bathroom.  
He closed the door and locked it behind them before he sat her on the counter with a squeak. She started to protest, but he covered her mouth with his hand. “Nursing rounds aren’t for another 30 minutes.” She tried again to protest though muffled. He couldn’t understand her but he got the gist. “No sex. I was just want-I need to make you cum.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “Will you let me do that?”  
She realized he wasn’t going to remove his hand. Biting her lip behind it, she nodded. This felt all kinds of wrong, but his presence was so convincing. She leaned back when he reached for the waistband of her shorts. He skillfully popped the button open and pushed down the zipper. He grinned, slipping his fingers between the delicate satin of her panties and her wet cunt.  
Bryce hummed. “I think you like this.” She whimpered. She would have said maybe but yes, fuck yes. He turned her on then adding in the thrill of possibly getting caught. She shivered. “Oh you definitely like this.” He smirked. She licked her tongue up his palm then scraped her teeth down the smooth skin. He growled. Legit growled. Twisting his wrist, he pressed his thumb to her clit. She moaned behind his hand. He shushed her close to her face. “Careful, baby. Don’t want someone walking by hearing you.” She whimpered, biting her lip harder. She shook her head.  
Her wet cunt pulsed and stretched when he pushed his fingers inside her. Ellie opened her legs wider, bracing her sneakers on the cabinet. His hooded, lust-blown eyes watched her face. She closed her eyes, breathing in shallow pants and whimpering her pleasure behind his hand. Her face flushed and he felt the touch of the tip of her tongue. Her thighs tightened as she rocked her hips, lifting them off the bathroom sink.  
“You look so sexy right now, Ell.” He bumped her clenched hand on the counter. She took a guess and grabbed his dick. The outline long and thick through the khaki shorts. He pushed it into her hand. She squeezed him through the fabric. A dark spot formed on the fabric at the end of his dick. “Oh fuck, Ell.” He was soft and breathless, contrary to his fingers that pumped in and out of her, raking the tips over her sweet spot. Her lower body shook. “Come on, baby. Cum for me.” He thumbed her clit faster, pushing over and over on her sweet spot. He took a risk and pressed his pinky against her asshole.  
Ellie thumped her head back against the mirror. Bryce groaned and pushed the digit inside her tight muscle. It was like the key in a lock and she came hard, shaking and biting the palm of his hand to keep from crying out.  
“Fuck, you’re amazing.” He pulled his hand away and held her throat as he kissed her, hard and sloppy. With his hand out of the way, he ground his cock bulge against her cunt. Her hips jerked, thumping her foot against the cabinet.  
“Hello?” There was a rapid knocking. “Is someone in there?”  
Bryce covered Elaine’s mouth again. He mouthed. “My. Mother.” She carefully slid off the counter. “It’s me, mother.”  
“Bryce? What are you doing here?” She sounded surprised.  
Elaine buttoned up her shorts. Bryce motioned her to hide in the shower. “I just wanted to come by.”  
“Oh.”  
Bryce washed his hands, covering any noise of her moving behind the curtain. His erection had subsided enough to go without notice. He opened the door and stepped out in to the room, leaving it cracked. “I was just getting ready to head back to the house. Walk me out.”  
Mrs. Langley sighed in exasperation. “I just got here, Bryce.”  
“Humor me, mother.”  
“Alright.” Ellie waited for the soft hiss of the hall door shutting before she stepped out of the shower. She made herself presentable the hurried out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: mentions drowning, drowning, panic attack.

Elaine looked in the mirror. She’d changed in one of the rooms in the pool house. The bikini Maya had given her was on the small side and she felt extremely exposed. Not to say she didn’t look fucking hot but still. Exposed. In front of people who were already judging her, already assuming she was fucking her client. And probably his grandson.  
Maya knocked on the door. “Hey, you ready?”  
“Do you have another suit I could borrow? This one is a little small.”  
“They’re all the same size and mother doesn’t swim. She doesn’t do anything fun.” The sadness that crept into the young girl’s voice squeezed Ellie’s heart.  
She sighed. “Do you have like short robe I could wear over this?”  
“Yeah but it’s so hot out, Ellie. You’ll sweat to death. Come on, it can’t be that bad.”  
Elaine opened the door as Bryce stepped into the lounge and pulled his sunglasses off. “Wow.”  
Maya looked over her shoulder at her brother, grinning. Then she looked back to Elaine. “Wow is right. Ellie, you look amazing.”  
A blonde girl who hadn’t been there when she’d gone into the room joined Maya’s side. “Like model amazing.”  
Ellie looked from their slightly envious yet joyful faces to Bryce’s. He did nothing to hide his appreciation for her appearance. His darkened eyes devoured her and he licked his lips, remembering what she tasted like on his fingers. She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. That one demur act set his blood on fire.  
“Come on. Let’s get out there before Grandpa sends a search party.” Maya and the blonde ducked out the door, leaving her alone with Bryce.  
He crossed the room in two long, quick strides. He rested his hand on her hip. She looked up at him. “It’s not too much?”  
“I want to tear it off you and fuck you against the wall.”  
“Bryce.”  
“Ell, you look spectacular.”  
“I’m worried the kind of message it sends the other guests.”  
“What? That you’re hot?”  
“Bryce.”  
“Ell, they’re gonna talk no matter what. Their opinions don’t matter. You said so yourself. Do you care what I think?”  
“Yes.”  
“Ok. Well, I think you’re the most gorgeous woman here. So, for me, wear the suit.”  
Her face pinched as she looked up at him. “No fair, Langley.”  
“I never said I was fair, baby.” He put the sunglasses back on as he spoke then dipped his head and kissed her closed-mouth, nipping her lip as he pulled away. “Come on.”  
Bryce walked behind her. For two reasons, one so he could stare at her ass and two, to hide his half-erect cock. She’d wrapped a towel around her waist before they left the pool house. Ogden rose from his chair. “Elaine, you look ravishing.” He kissed her cheek.  
“Thank you, Ogden.”  
“Have a seat. There’s plenty of food and wine.” He gestured to a chair too close to the water for her comfort.  
“I’ll sit farther away from the pool if you don’t mind.” He looked a little hurt but nodded. He was aware of the accident. Leffler had had to explain her refusal of hydrotherapy.  
Mccallum sauntered up. “Who is this you’ve been hiding, Osbourne?”  
“She isn’t mine to hide, Mccallum. This is my physical therapist, Elaine Ferris.”  
“Pleasure to meet you.” He smirked at her, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. He looked at her from under his eyebrows and she didn’t appreciate the way it made her feel.  
“Ell.” She looked up as Bryce brought her a glass of wine.  
“Thank you.” She pulled her hand away to take the wine glass from him.  
“I heard you were Ogden’s pet masseuse. Fancy giving me a rub down?”  
Bryce’s nostrils flared and he clenched his fist at his side. Elaine raised her eyebrow. “Pet masseuse?” Mcccallum looked to Bryce, waiting for an answer. Ellie sipped her wine. “No.” She moved away from them without any further answer, sitting as far back from the pool as she could and still be in the party.  
She enjoyed her wine and watched the party-goers around her. Maya and the blonde, a girl named Paige, frequently returned to her table to gossip and talk. Bryce watched her from wherever he stood. He wanted to make sure Mccallum didn’t harass her again.  
A dark-headed boy sat down beside her. “Sorry about my dad.”  
“I’m sorry, who are you?”  
“Ian Mccallum.” He extended his hand.  
She shook it. “Elaine Ferris.”  
“So, uh, you haven’t gotten in the water?”  
“No.”  
“You don’t swim?”  
“Nope.” A waiter filled her wine glass.   
“It’d be a shame to let that suit go to waste.” Ian stood up and jerked her up by her wrist. Her wine glass shattered on the stones.  
“No. Stop.” She tried to brace her feet but the stones were wet from the girls dripping pool water as they sat with her. “Ian, no! Stop it! Let me go.” She tried to get her wrist free but he only tightened his grip.  
“Oh, come on, Elaine. It’ll be fun. Just a little dip.” They had everyone’s attention know, likely thinking it was purely theatrics for attention. Bryce watched with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw. His gut twisted with the need to run to her rescue. He closed his fist at his side and swallowed.   
“No, Ian! Stop!” Once he had dragged her close enough to the pool, he grabbed her around the waist and threw her in. Her scream was not a playful one, but one of pure terror. Those that hadn’t been watching the scene were watching now.  
Maya stepped closer to her grandfather. “Grandpa?”  
Ogden slowly stood. They could hear her splashing in the water but she wasn’t surfacing. “Bryce!” The old man stepped forward, but he was in no condition to rescue her. His grandson didn’t hesitate though. Bryce ran at the water then dove in her direction.  
Elaine’s rational thought left her as she sailed through the air. Terror took over her mind and body. Her scream had used up her oxygen and water rushed to fill the empty space of her lungs. Her limbs wouldn’t coordinate as they flailed below the surface. She flashed back to the accident. Struggling to get the surface as her oxygen ran out; her lungs screaming and burning for air and from chlorine, swallowing water, being hit and pulled under again and again. Dark spots popped in her eyes.  
Bryce grabbed her around the waist from behind and kicked them to the surface. Dr. Leffler and Gates pulled her out of the water then Bryce hauled himself out. The doctor checked her out. He could feel her lungs spasm as they tried to void the water. “Roll her over.” Bryce pushed through the crowd around her to kneel beside her. Leffler struck her back with a cupped hand. She coughed up water violently, her eyes snapping open.   
Elaine saw Bryce next to her and that’s where she sought comfort. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly, curling her body into him. Her quiet sobs accusing everyone who allowed it to happen and did nothing to stop it. Bryce’s gut continued to twist. He should have gone to her aide sooner. But he’d saved her.  
Ogden shouted down the cacophony of voices. “That’s enough! Party’s over. Everyone go home.” He leaned down. “Gates?”  
“Yes, Mr. Osbourne?”  
“Take Ellie home. And Bryce with her.”  
“Yes, sir.”


	6. Chapter 6

Bryce knocked on the bathroom door. “Ell? You ok?”  
Elaine rolled her head to the side on the bath pillow. “Yeah…I’ll be out in the minute.” She’d taken a Xanax before she’d gotten in the bath and it had finally taken effect. She used her toes to pull the drain plug then carefully pulled herself up out of the claw foot tub. She half-assed dried off and wrapped the towel around her, tucking it under her armpit. Bryce stood outside the door, waiting when she opened it.  
He had refused to leave her. Well if he was going to stay, she’d put him to use. She had him run a hot bath for her and get her medication from her bedroom. While she’d been in the bath, he’d taken care of dinner for the both of them. He’d also informed his mother that he wouldn’t be home. Then he’d taken the opportunity to go through the house.  
A search through her pantry and refrigerator told him that she ate healthy for the most part, but she indulged in sweet wine and chocolate. He remembered she didn’t have all of her things here, but she was making the little cottage her own with art and candid pictures of family and friends. He found the art that she’d taken off the walls stacked neatly and carefully in the hall closet. She’d turned the downstairs bedroom into a home gym/office.  
Bryce checked on her before going up the stairs to her bedroom. He felt no shame or guilt going through her closet and drawers. He smirked at her brimming panty drawer, different colors and patterns and fabrics. He couldn’t wait to see her in every pair. He plunged his hands, lifting them to his face to breath in the scent of her laundry detergent and the lingering scent of her that washing never really gets rid of. He held the handful of panties against his face and rubbed it back and forth like a cat scenting. He picked a pair out of the handful and started to tuck it into his pocket.  
Her hygiene products caught his eye. Her favorite scent became obvious from the perfume and lotions on the vanity. A small spray to the fabric and into his pocket it went. She apparently enjoyed bath products. He smirked and shook his head at the small plastic tub full of oils and salts and bath bombs.  
Bryce trailed his fingertips up the unmade bed. He could see her laying on her side, nightgown rucked up over her hip, exposing her ass to the room. Her knee bent to the side, arms tucked up under the pillow. He would fit perfectly behind her, spooning her with his arm draped over her waist. Or on the other side with her bent leg hooked over his, cuddled into his side. He bunched up her pillow and inhaled a lungful of her scent much like he’d done with her panties. He thumbed through a book of poetry on her nightstand, making note of the author.  
He knocked lightly on the bathroom door. “Ell? You ok?”  
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.” He leaned back against the wall opposite the bathroom door, waiting for her. She opened the door and he sucked in a breath at her appearance. Her disheveled hair added a sexy air to her pinked skin.  
“Grandfather’s cook is sending dinner down for the two of us.” She nodded and yawned then looked confused about what she’d intended to do next. “Did you want to get dressed?”  
“Oh yeah.” He followed her up the stairs in case she stumbled and fell.  
“Do you need help?”  
She hummed in question. “Oh no.” She shook her head, retrieving a white linen nightgown from the drawer. It felt soft against her skin. Normally, she would have lotioned her skin after a bath. But she didn’t have the energy or motivation.   
Bryce watched her move slowly from the doorway. She dropped the towel to the floor. Was she teasing him? Provoking him? She pulled on a pair of lavender panties then the nightgown. No, he didn’t think so. The incident and the subsequent anxiety attack in the car on their way to the cottage as well as her medicine had drained her. He could have easily taken her without a fight. He didn’t think she’d fight though. She seemed to be attracted to him, just reluctant to act on it. He’d had to sway her reluctance. He couldn’t even be sure she’d remember it. But that wouldn’t do. If he was going to fuck her, he wanted her to remember everything. He wanted her right there with him.  
Elaine turned around. She startled at him standing in the doorway. Had she forgotten he was there? That would have damaged his ego. “Bryce, I hadn’t realized you’d followed me up here.” She crossed the room to him and looped her arms around his shoulders. She smiled dreamily at him. “My hero.” Her lips pressed to his. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Their tongues danced lazily, while her fingers played in his hair and his pressed into the small of her back.  
Bryce rested his forehead on hers. “You need to rest.”  
“I’m afraid to.” She laid her head on his shoulder.  
“Why?” He smoothed her back up and down.  
“I don’t want to be back in the water.”  
He looked down at her, cupping her jaw. “What happened?”  
A knock at the door interrupted them. Jilly opened the door. “Elaine? Bryce? The cook sent your dinner.” They descended the stairs. “Do you want me to dish it up?”  
“Please?” Elaine started to sit at the table.  
Bryce caught her elbow and pulled her back up and turned her around. “No, go sit down on the couch. I’ll bring it to you.” Elaine looked like she would have protested but instead, she shrugged and walked into the living room. She dropped on the couch heavily then pulled the quilt off the back and over her. Jilly looked from Bryce to Elaine. He caught her look and raised an eyebrow. The little brunette looked away and down at the food she was plating.

Elaine lay on Bryce’s bare chest. Their legs and feet intertwined under the warmth of the quilt. The backs of his fingers caressed her arm. Their dinner dishes covered the coffee table. His shirt, shoes and socks were under it.  
“Are you going to tell me what happened?”  
She sighed and snuggled closer, using his presence to summon strength. “There was an accident. With a client.” She stared forward, her mind going back to that day. “He wasn’t one of my regular clients. I’d been asked to cover for a therapist on maternity leave. I was told he knew how to swim. I don’t know what happened. I think he was just overwhelmed by too many changes. He couldn’t touch the bottom and he panicked. I tried to get him to the ledge but he kept hitting me and we were both going under.  
“The lifeguard, I guess that’s what you’d call him, finally realized I didn’t have the situation under control and came to help. He got the client out first then me.” She’d been tracing circles on his chest. “I took a leave of absence after that but my savings ran out. So I took the position as your grandfather’s therapist, with the condition that I would not do hydrotherapy. Aside from showers and baths, today was the first day I’d been in the water since then. You saw how well that went.”  
“I’m sorry, Ell. I saw him trying to get you into the water. I should have stopped him.”  
“It’s ok, Bryce. You didn’t know.” She leaned up. “You saved me.” His thumb caressed her cheek. “I’ll never forget that.” He guided her face towards his then leaned up and kissed her softly. She sighed and parted her lips. His tongue slipped forward. They sighed and moaned, their hands caressing each other.  
Bryce rolled her onto her back then propped himself over her, breaking the kiss. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Ell.” He thumbed her cheekbone, smirking when she blushed. Her belly twisted with her exposed vulnerability under him. She couldn’t look away. His interest twisted her up. Bryce pressed his lips to hers, drawing a whimper from her. He groaned and pressed his pelvis against her. When she moaned, he ground it in a circle, letting her feeling his growing cock. She moaned around his tongue, tugging his hair between her fingers.  
Elaine broke the kiss to breathe. Her nails scraped his scalp lightly. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back in bliss, pleasure skittering down his nerves. “Bedroom, yeah?”  
“Oh fuck yes.” He popped up to his feet then pulled her up. They’d barely made it to the stairs before he kissed her again, his hand slipping up under her nightgown. He pushed her against the wall, trailing his fingers up her thighs. She shivered when they danced over her seam through the fabric. She pushed his shoulders away to urge him further up the stairs.  
Bryce pushed her back into the wall, harder than before. She grunted softly. He grabbed her chin and looked her in the eyes. Ellie felt a thrill run through her. The sound of their heavy breath was the only sound. He slipped his fingers in the side of her panties. Her plumped up lips parted.  
He hummed, smirking. “God, you’re so fucking wet.” She gasped at the push of two fingers inside her. He held her chin, keeping their eyes on each other as he pumped his fingers in and out of her wet cunt. Her lips parted more, her chest heaving with her rapid breath. His thumb pressed to her clit, making her hips buck. He turned her head to the side by her chin and kissed her throat, moaning against her sweet flesh as she arched off the wall.  
“Bryce…” He hummed in question, kissing and nipping and sucking across her shoulder and down her collarbone. Her thighs trembled. “Bedroom…” He pulled down the neckline of the nightgown to expose her breast. Her nipple had already hardened. He sucked and kissed his way down the perfect globe to her nipple before pinching it between his teeth. She gasped louder, her head thumping against the wall. “I need you.”  
He smirked around her nipple. Without another word, he pulled her off the wall. They raced up the stairs. His arm locked around her waist and his mouth found hers again in the bedroom. He growled as he walked her back to the bed. Her legs hit and he rode her down, nestling between her legs. She wanted this. She wanted him. But not tonight. He would deny himself, deny them both. He pushed himself up off her.  
“Ellie, baby, I can’t.”  
“What?” She pushed herself up on her elbows, hurt and confusion clouding her pretty face.  
“I mean, I can and I want to. God, do I want to. But I can’t. I won’t take advantage of you.” He stood to the side of the bed. His hard cock tented out of the lounge pants he wore. She slid to the edge of the bed, her legs on the outside of his. He looked down at her. “It wouldn’t be right, baby.” She bit her lip as she glided her palms up his thighs. He didn’t move, didn’t react or respond. Yet when her hand closed around his cock through the loose fabric, he closed his eyes and tilted his head back. She squeezed him like she’d done in the bathroom at the hospital. “Baby…”  
“Let me at least thank you, Bryce.” Elaine leaned forward and sucked the head of his cock through the fabric. His breath hitched. She glided her tongue along his length before mouthing his balls through the pants as well. He groaned and cradled the back of her head. She continued to mouth him and his grip flexed.  
“Ellie.” He knew if she got his pants down, his resolve…and his plan…would be ruined. Her fingers wrapped around the waistband of the pants. “Ellie, no.” He grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away. Bryce knelt between her legs. “I would love nothing more than to feel your mouth on my dick. To fuck you, baby.”  
“But.”  
“But, you’ve had a traumatic day. And you’re medicated. I won’t take advantage of you.” He held her face in both his hands. “You deserve better than that.” He kissed her then, slow and deep, stealing her breath. His thumbs caressed her jaw as he pulled away, memorizing the blissful look on her face. “I should go.” He stood.  
“No!” She grabbed his hip and his wrist. “Don’t go. Please. Please stay.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Please don’t leave me alone, Bryce.” She hated how pathetic she sounded, but she knew she’d dream of drowning tonight. And she didn’t want to wake up alone.  
“Of course, Ell.” She scooted back on the bed to make room for him. He pulled the covers back more then settled underneath. She curled into him, resting her head on his chest.  
“Is this-is this alright?”  
“It’s fine, babe.” He smoothed her hair, playing the strands between his fingers. Before long, her breathing evened out and she fell fast asleep. He had closed his eyes but now, they opened. He looked down at her peacefully sleeping face. Things were going along nicely. He hadn’t intended…well, he’d only intended on fucking her. Because that was his thing. But there was something about her. Something different from all the other women he’d conquered. Dare he say, he’d started to care for her. Whether he cared or not, she was his.  
He hated to leave her. But he had something to take care of. A soft knock barely reached his earshot. He carefully slipped from under her to answer the door.  
“Bryce?” Jilly’s eyebrows shot into her hair.  
He smirked, knowing full well what it looked like. His hair mussed, barefoot and coming from the bedroom with a half-erect cock and dark stain on the front of his pants. “You need something, Jilly?”  
“Herbert sent me with Elaine’s things from the pool house. Is-is she ok?”  
“She’s sleeping now.” He took the bag from her. He started to close the door but had an idea. “Jilly bean, can I ask you a favor?”  
“Sure.” She ducked her head at the nickname he used when he wanted something from her.  
“Can you sit with her?”  
“I thought you said she was asleep.”  
“She is. But she’s had a scare and she doesn’t want to be alone. I’ll be back in an hour or so. I swear.” Jilly looked over her shoulder. “Come on, Jilly bean. Please? For me.”  
The young girl sighed. “Okay.”


	7. Chapter 7

Ian hit the button on the key fob. The alarm chirped in response. He laughed to himself, looking down at his phone. His fingers tapped out a response. A man crept up behind him, dressed in black from head to toe except for an African tribal mask. Crack! He hit Ian in the back of the head.  
“Ow! What the fuck!” The young man whipped around only to be struck him in the face, dazing him. His attacker hit him in the face again two more times before Ian lifted his arms to defend himself. “What the fuck! Stop!” He took a few more hits to the arms before the man shoved him to the ground. The pair grappled until the man on top of him grabbed his shirt to lift his upper body off the grab and slam him back down. The back of his head hit, dazing him again. “Stop! Get the fuck off!”  
Ian could hear the man breathing as he raised a cloth sack. It felt like a rock, hitting him over and over again until Ian’s shouting stopped. His mouth a mess of loose teeth and blood, busted lip and swollen tongue. His face a bloody mask punctuated by blossoming bruises.  
Ian raised his head off the asphalt as the man stood from his crouch over him. His wet, garbled protests began anew. The man beat him with the sack about his back and abdomen. “Stop. Please. Stop.” He cowered and sobbed, trying weakly to protect himself. Tears streaked the blood and grit from the street on his face. The man stood above him, barely breathing hard from his exertion. He tilted his head to the side, examining the boy at his feet. Then he was gone.

Ogden protested her twisting of his lower back. “I am an old man, Elaine. We’re not meant to bend this way.”  
“Hush, Ogden.” She rolled him the opposite direction and rotated his hips, putting slight pressure on him to open up his pelvis. “You’ve been spending a lot of time in bed. I’m making sure it’s not affecting your circulation or your digestive track.” He scoffed then fell silent as she manipulated his lower limbs. “What?”  
“It’s nothing.”  
“It’s not nothing if you’re tensing up as soon as I loosen you.”  
“There have been rumors.”  
“Of course. For some reason, people believe I’m a doctor.” She looked at her client pointedly, only to have him smile. “They also believe we’re fucking.”  
“Naturally. You’re young and beautiful, as well as my employee, and I’m old and rich.”  
Elaine shook her head. “It’s ridiculous.”  
“Yes, but they think and believe it because it’s what they would do.” She shook her head. “No, these are about you and Bryce.”  
Elaine stopped. “I knew it.”  
Ogden chuckled. “So you two aren’t an item?”  
“No.” She helped the old man up into a sitting position then to his feet. “No, we are not.”  
“So he didn’t spend the night at your place the night of the party?”  
“He did. But nothing happened. I took a bath. We kissed. I fell asleep. In fact, he’d left by the time I woke up.”  
Ogden slipped his feet into his house shoes. “Do you like my grandson?”  
“Yes.”  
“Would you pursue a relationship were you not employed by me?”  
“I don’t think I would even exist for Bryce if I wasn’t employed by you.”  
Ogden winced. “That’s not true.”  
“Oh please, Ogden. I know my place.” She began to clean up the room. “And it’s not here. Not to be a doomsayer, I’m only here as long as you are. After that, I’ll be returning to the city.”  
He sighed. “That’s a shame. Maya and Bryce are quite taken with you.”  
Ellie leaned on the counter. “I can’t live up here. I have nothing up here. And no job I find up here will afford me to actually live up here.”  
He groaned as he stood. He crossed the room to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “You should know though that it doesn’t matter to me if you choose to engage in a relationship with my grandson. I just advise you to be careful. He can be…fickle.” Ogden leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Now that that’s out of the way. Maya’s birthday is next week. I’m sure she’d love it if you came.”  
“Oh, I don’t think so.”  
“Please, just think about it.” He walked to the door. “My daughter…her husband’s accident affected her deeply. She’s not been the same since. Maya enjoys your company. Just don’t dismiss it out of hand.”  
“I’ll think about it.”

Bryce and Maya sat at one of the tables. The white tablecloths fluttered in the breeze. Mccallum and Ian sat at another. They hadn’t been around since Ian had thrown Elaine in the pool. It was assumed that Ogden had had words with Mccallum. And the fact that he’d gotten attacked.  
Bryce spotted Elaine cutting across the lawn to the back field. “Ellie!” She looked up and smiled and waved but continued walking despite him waving her over. “Ell!”  
“Did you fuck things up already?”  
“Shut up.” He ran across the lawn to meet her. “Hey, I’ve missed you.” He leaned in to kiss her, resting his hand on her waist.  
Elaine turned slightly away but Bryce got the picture. “I missed you too.”  
Bryce frowned. “Something wrong?”  
“No.”  
“Then why do I feel like you’re avoiding me?”  
Elaine sighed and stepped away. “I’m not avoiding you, Bryce. I’m just doing my job, is all.”  
He raised an eyebrow. “Your job.”  
“Yes, I came up here to take care of your grandfather not be a part of this and that.” She waved her hands around, probably a little dramatically but she didn’t care, then pointed to the luncheon behind her.  
“And I’m part of that.”  
Ellie sighed. “Bryce-“  
“No, no, I get it. You’re too good for us.” He started to walk away.  
“Bryce, that’s not what-“ He held up his hand to silence her. She shook her head and continued home.  
Bryce sat back down, fuming. He crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw clenched. Maya leaned over. “What did she say?”  
“Nothing, Maya. Don’t worry about it.” Maya couldn’t hide her concern and dare she admit fear as she glanced in the direction Elaine had gone. Bryce stared out of the lawn, ignoring the flow of conversation around him. Without a word, he stood up and stormed into the house.  
Ogden sat at a table, sorting through old papers and pictures. He felt his grandson’s presence over his shoulder. “Something on your mind, boy?”  
“Elaine.”  
“Ah.”  
“She’s avoiding me.”  
“I suspected as much.”  
“You-what? Why?” Bryce moved around the table to stare down at his grandfather.  
“There have been rumors.”  
“There’s always rumors, grandpa. What did you say to her?”  
“I merely mentioned the rumors. She denied them. But I told I didn’t care if you two were fucking.”  
“Grandpa.”  
“I don’t.” He glared up at the boy. “Who you stick your dick in is of no mind to me. I also warned her that you could be fickle.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bryce rested his fists on the table.  
“It means that you, my boy, like the thrill of the chase. But you move on quickly.” He shrugged. “Maybe being another conquest isn’t appealing to her.”  
“But she’s not just another ‘conquest’. I –like- her, grandpa.”  
“Son, you don’t even know her.”  
“So?” He crossed his arms over his chest. Ogden smiled and shook his head. Such a petulant child.  
“I invited her to Maya’s birthday gathering.”  
“And?”  
“She declined.” Bryce sighed. Ogden leaned back. “Have you thought of what happens when I die?”  
“Don’t talk like that.”  
The old man shrugged. “It’s an inevitability. Elaine will move back to the city.”  
“Why?”  
“She has nothing here.” Ogden’s tone suggested that plaintively. “She clearly cannot afford to live here. Why would she stay with her source of employment gone?” Bryce frowned. “She doesn’t belong her, Bryce. She knows that.”  
“That’s not true. She could.”  
Ogden shrugged. “Not the way she sees it. She’s here to do a job. And when that job is over, she will leave.” Ogden winced as he pushed himself up from the chair. “Have Herbert bring me my pills. I’m going to lay down.”

Bryce knocked on the door. No answer. The car sat in the driveway. She could be out for a walk. He tried the knob and the door opened. He knocked again. “Ell?” He carefully closed the door behind him. The bathroom was empty. “Ellie?” No answer. He heard the electronic hum of the treadmill.  
He stood in the doorway, watching her run on the treadmill. She sang softly to herself. She had her earbuds in; that’s why she hadn’t heard him calling. He smiled to himself at her soft singing. His gaze moved up and down her back, lingering on her ass. He had no desire to leave and no need to be anywhere else, so he watched her run.  
When the timer beeped, he stepped out of the doorway and moved into the living room, staying hidden inside the doorway. Elaine took off her running shoes and left them by the treadmill. She padded sock-footed to the bathroom. Her phone rang in her ears.  
“Hey, Mads.”  
“What’s up? Figured your text required a call over a response.”  
“Thanks, you’re probably right.” She sighed as she sat on the edge of the bathtub and turned the water on. Bryce moved to the other side of the doorway to so he could see into the bathroom.  
“How are things going?”  
“They’re going.”  
“And with Bryce?”  
“They’re not. In fact, he’s mad at me.”  
“What? Why?”  
“Hang on, I’m gonna put you on speaker. I just went for a run and I’m gross.”  
“Whatever.”  
“There.”  
“Now, tell me what happened.”  
Elaine pulled her tee shirt off then her sports bra. She cupped her breasts then kneaded them. “Ogden told me there’s rumors.” Bryce licked his lips, flexing his hands. He remembered how she tasted and felt and he wanted that again. His cock twitched.  
“About?”  
“Well, I told you that these people believe I’m fucking him, right?”  
“Yeah. Surely, Bryce knows you’re not.”  
“He knows. I told him. And I’m sure Ogden has as well.”  
“So he’s still mad about them?”  
“No…There’s rumors about us now.”  
“Who? You and Bryce?”  
“Yeah.”  
“So? You’ve dated worse, need I remind you.”  
“Hey!” The two laughed. “Shut up.”  
“Ok, so he’s mad about those rumors?”  
“Not exactly.”  
“Then what the fuck is he mad about, Elaine?”  
She sighed, sticking her thumbs under the waistband of her yoga pants and panties. “He thinks that I think that I’m too good for them.”  
Maddie laughed on the other end of the line. “You’re kidding right?”  
“No.” She pushed her pants down and stepped out of them, tugging the socks off. “I don’t belong here, Mads.”  
“And you’re afraid that you’ll get attached to Richie Rich. And he’ll think that too.”  
“Yeah.” Bryce blinked. He’d been so concerned with making her his, he hadn’t thought about the reasons she was resisting.  
“Oh baby, you can’t think like that.”  
“Ogden said he could be fickle. What if I give in? We have sex. I get attached and he just…moves on?”  
“Ellie.”  
“It would just prove I was right. That I don’t belong here. That I’m not good enough.”  
“If he does that, he’s a fucking moron. You’re beautiful.”  
“Mads.”  
“No, shut up and listen. Sometimes you need to be reminded that you’re a fucking catch, Elaine. You are beautiful. You’re smart and funny and kind. And he’d be fucking lucky to have you. And if he would give you up that easily, for just a fuck, he’s fucking idiot and you deserve better.”  
She sighed. “Thanks, Mads.”  
“You’re welcome. Now get your stinking ass in the shower. I can smell you from here.” She burst out laughing.  
“Fuck you.”  
“I love you too.” They hung up. Elaine pulled her hair down, ran a brush through it, then climbed under the hot spray. It had already steamed up the mirror. Tendrils of steam danced out the doorway. She sighed under the hot stream. Bryce moved forward. He could see the outline of her body. She sang softly to herself as she washed her hair and her body.  
Bryce’s cock twitched and grew hard. He closed his eyes and could imagine the water running down her naked body. It would be so easy to strip down and climb in there with her. Kiss her under the hot stream, feel her hands in his wet hair as he ate her pussy then pushed her up against the wall and fucked her until they came or the water ran cold. The water shut off and he snapped out of his daydream. He palmed his cock as he carefully made his way to the front door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think 8 chapters was enough for y'all to wait for them to get down. So here you go. The Sex.

A soft breeze blew across the lawn as Elaine descended the stairs to the luminous white tent, bring the scents of fresh cut flowers, champagne and sugar. The tent glowed in the dark summer night, beckoning those around it closer. She held the small gift box close to her chest as she made her way through the tables. She was acutely aware of the eyes and attention following her progress but she chose to ignore it.  
“Maya?” She touched the birthday girl’s shoulder as she leaned down, speaking normally but close so as to be heard above the music.  
The birthday girl’s laughter tapered off as she turned around. “Elaine!” She squealed and jumped up, hugging her. “I’m so glad you came. Grandpa said you weren’t coming.”  
Elaine tugged at the hem of her dress nervously. “Well, I wasn’t going to, but Ogden said you wanted me to come. And it would be rude of me to deny the birthday girl on her birthday.”  
“Thank you so much for coming.” She kissed the woman’s cheek. “Have a drink. We’ve already eaten dinner but there’s cake and hors d’oeuvres. Help yourself.” Maya didn’t sit back down when Elaine left her to go find a glass of wine and piece of birthday cake. She hurried over to a group of guys laughing and talking. “Bryce.” He turned around.  
“Hey, birthday girl.” He looped his arm around his sister’s shoulder. Maya could tell her brother had been drinking. “Having a good time?”  
“Yeah, listen. She’s here.” Maya looked over her shoulder at the refreshment table. Elaine gratefully took a glass of white wine from the bartender behind it.  
“Who?”  
“Elaine.”  
Bryce stood up straighter, looking around the tent over Maya’s head. “She is? Where? She said she wasn’t coming.”  
“Well she came and she brought me a gift.”  
“What is it?”  
“I don’t know.” She held up the box for Bryce to see. He turned his back to the guys he’d been talking to and gave his sister his full attention. The conversation carried on without him.  
“Well open it.” Bryce searched the crowd for Elaine while Maya untied the ribbon, letting it fall to the ground. She carefully pried open the lid of the small box. Inside, nestled in tissue paper was a blown-glass horse. In the horse’s body was a purplish-blue flower. His sister’s astonished gasp broke off his search.  
“Oh wow.”  
“That’s a pretty amazing gift.”  
“It is.” Maya closed the box and held it tightly. “I’ll be right back.” She ducked out of the tent. She wanted to take this to her room immediately. She couldn’t risk it getting lost or broken.  
Elaine felt a tap on her shoulder. Her anxiety skyrocketed. She’d only come for Maya and cake, not to socialize. She clutched the stem of the glass as she turned. “Oh, Dr. Leffler.” She visibly relaxed.  
“Elaine. You look stunning.” He looked down her body. It was appreciative but she didn’t appreciate it.   
“Thanks. I wasn’t sure what the dress code was, so I picked the nicest thing I had.”  
“Wise decision.” They smiled cordially. “How are you doing? I heard about the incident with Ian and the pool. I wanted to check on you, but I don’t have your number.”  
“I’m fine, doctor.” She sipped her wine. He raised an eyebrow at her, disbelieving her. “I wasn’t for a few days. But I’m fine now.”  
“Listen, if you need anything, my door is always open.” Leffler leaned into her, smiling.  
“Thank you, doctor.” She took a step back and bumped into Ian. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She got a look at his face. “Shit.”  
He held up his hands. “I only wanted to apologize for throwing you in the pool. I had no idea you’d freak out like that.”  
“I was telling you to stop.”  
“I thought you were just playing. All the girls say stop.”  
“Oh really?” Elaine frowned. She didn’t think that just meant in regards to being thrown in a pool. She could see this boy and others being capable of wicked things because they weren’t accustomed to being told no. “What happened to you?” She gestured toward his face.  
“Someone attacked me.”  
“Are you ok though?”  
Most of his facial bruises were faded but not healed. He had stitches in a few different places. “Fractured orbital socket and major dental reconstruction.”  
“Fuck.”  
“Yeah.” He surprised her by smiling. “I’m on some good drugs though. And the doctors say the scarring will be minimal.” Ian looked up at someone approaching behind her. “Just wanted to say I’m sorry again.” He turned and disappeared into the crowd.  
Elaine felt hot breath on her neck. A cologne she recognized wafted over her. “It’s not fair to the birthday girl that you’re the most beautiful here.” When she didn’t pull away or turn around, he kissed her neck. “I miss you, Ell.”  
‘Take care of me  
Talk all day then at night fall in deep  
Stimulate me  
I want you mental and physically  
I belong to  
I belong to you’  
She turned around, not fighting the smile that tugged her full lips. Bryce rested his hand on her hip, squeezing then rubbing his thumb back and forth. “I miss you too.”  
He ducked his head. “So stop avoiding me.” She sucked in a breath. She couldn’t deny it without lying. She had been avoiding him. She’d been avoiding their lifestyle and therefore them. He didn’t push it though. “Maya loves your present. She took it up to her room so nothing would happen to it.”  
“I’m glad.” She glanced around. “People are looking at us, Bryce.”  
“So?”  
“You know how that makes me feel.”  
“And this? How does this make you feel?” He closed the distance and kissed her, a firm press of lips. She didn’t deny his asking tongue entrance. His tongue met hers and she moaned softly. Her head and chest felt light.  
When she opened her eyes, he stared intently at her. She licked her lips. “Giddy and light.”  
‘Grab hold of me  
Gentle love but touch passionately  
I’ll give you my blessing  
Take me person and objectively  
Ex and internally’  
“Dance with me.”  
“Bryce-“ He didn’t take no for an answer. He led her out onto the dance floor and pulled her close, slipping his arm around her waist, their fingers interwoven. The sensual beat of ‘Belong to You’ by Sabrina Claudio played. The singer’s voice soft and light as she sang the lyrics. Bryce swayed with her and spun her in circles. They were fast becoming the center of attention.  
“Wanna get out of here?”  
‘I belong to you, you, you  
I belong to you, you, you  
I belong to you’  
Ellie looked up him, her eyes searching for something in his face. She knew there’d be no way they’d stop this time if they left. “Yes.” She felt eyes on them as he led her off the dance floor and out of the tent. She kept her gaze trained on the middle of his back so she wouldn’t lose her nerve.  
She expected him to lead her up to his room in the big house as he led her up the terrace. Instead of going to inside, they followed it around the side of the house, away from the noise of the party. He sat down on the low terrace banister and pulled her between the V of his legs. He started to speak but she laid her finger against his lips.  
Her thumbs smoothed his cheekbones. He rested his hands on her hips. “I don’t think I’m better than you, Bryce.”  
“I was angry.”  
“I know.” She searched his face again. “I don’t belong here.”  
“You don’t know that.”  
She smiled. “I do. And I’m afraid that if I let you in that you’ll realize it too.” Her smile turned sad. He caught her wrist before she could pull her hand away. He didn’t think she could get more beautiful but with the moonlight glistening in her teary eyes, he knew he’d been wrong. He reached for her, slipping his fingers under her hair, and brought her down into a kiss. Passionate and deep to start, Bryce’s tongue skillfully dismantled her. She braced herself on his shoulder.  
Their heavy breaths mingled hotly between their hovering lips, foreheads pressed together. He licked his lips then tilted her face so he could look in her eyes. He’d stolen her breath and made her heart race. “Elaine, I’m falling in love with you.”  
“Oh, Bryce.”  
Before she could argue that he didn’t feel that way about her, he kissed her again, gripping her hair harder. She kissed back. She didn’t have much choice. She didn’t want to pull away, so it was either kiss him back or let him have his way with her. Either options were good. He released her wrist and slipped his hand between her thighs.  
“Bryce.” She broke off the kiss, squeezing her thighs on his hand. “We can’t.”  
“Why not?” He twisted his wrist to caress the backs of his fingers along her panties. He wondered what pair they were.  
“Someone might see us.”  
“No one comes this way.” He slipped his fingers into the side of her panties. Her wetness hit the back of his fingers when he resumed his caressing. “I love how wet you get.” He nipped at her lips, pushing two fingers inside her. She clenched around him. He growled and pulled her into another demanding kiss, pumping his fingers in and out of her cunt.  
He held her head to side by the grip on her hair so he could trail biting kisses down her jaw and throat. Her gasps and moans made his cock twitch and grow. Her legs began to tremble as the white hot coil tightened in her belly. She closed her eyes, giving herself over to his attentions. Her fingers dug into his shoulders.  
“You gonna cum for me, baby?”  
“Yes, Bryce…” He loved how breathless she sounded.  
“Then do it, baby. Cum for me, Ell.” He bit and sucked down her collarbone and sternum. Her knees buckled then caught, a warm rush of blood raced through her body before pleasure exploded across her nerves. Her cries were muffled by his tongue, kissing her quiet.  
Bryce rucked up her skirt and pulled her panties down her legs. She stepped obediently out of them. He shoved them in his pocket then unbuckled his belt and opened his trousers. Her orgasmic bliss left her lightheaded and swaying on trembling legs. He pulled his cock out and pumped it a few times before urging her to straddle his lap.  
He tilted her face up to the moonlight so he could see her face when he filled her up. The head of his cock bumped against her sensitive clit, making her whine. He smirked at how gone she was then it fell. He pushed his cock lower and rested against her entrance.  
“You want this?” She bit her lips together and nodded. “Tell me you want this.”  
“I want this, Bryce. I want you.”  
“I’m all yours, Ellie.” The cement of the banister bit into her legs as she lowered down onto his length. He let her have this control. It wouldn’t be for long. His large hands brushed the wayward hair from her face. “You’re so fucking beautiful, baby.” He flattened his hand on the small of her back and lifted his hips.  
He tugged her legs out from under so she sat on his lap, his cock fully seated. She shivered, tightening her thighs around her his waist and her cunt around his cock. He groaned. “Can I move? I wanna move.”  
“Move, baby. Ride me. Fuck me. God, you feel so fucking good.” He scraped his teeth on her chin. She wrapped her arms around his neck, gripping onto his longish brown hair. His breathe hot and heavy against her collarbone. “Oh fuck…” His hands never stopped running up and down her thighs and her ass and her sides. “That’s it, Ell. Don’t stop, god, don’t stop.”  
He felt her tremble in his hands as she lifted her body up and down. The pressure built in his thighs and balls. He felt her quivering walls over every inch of his cock. His arm slipped around her waist. They moved together, rocking back and forth against each other. Her gasps and whimpers drove him closer and closer. He answered her in growls and pants.   
“I’m close, Ell. Tell me you’re close.”  
“Not yet. But almost.” He reached between them with his free hand. Trailing his fingers through their combined juices, he circled her clit. Her hips bucked off rhythm. He grinned and kept it up until her back bowed and she threw her head back. Her pussy clenched around his cock. He grunted a moment before he lost control of himself and came, buried in her to the hilt.  
Bryce cupped her jaw, running his thumb along her jaw. They kissed between trying to catch their breath. She was his. And he was never letting her go.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dark...and shows the lengths Bryce will go to to get what he wants.
> 
> Listen to this song during this chapter...  
> In This Moment 'Big Bad Wolf' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-qQ_brIsfY

Sunshine fell across her eyes. She hissed like a vampire and couldn’t cover her face fast enough. Bryce grunted as she rolled into him and captured her with his arm over her waist. She sighed and breathed him in. They smelled like salt and musk. Sweat and cum. Sex. Her thighs were sore and her pussy throbbed, from use and from the memory.  
He took a deep breath in through his nose and snuggled her tighter into him, wrapping his leg over hers. “Too early. Back to sleep, baby.”  
“You don’t know what time it is.”  
“Doesn’t matter. Still too early.” He kissed the top of her head. “Sleep. Then I’m gonna fuck you when we wake up and I’ll have Herbert bring us breakfast in bed.”  
Her eyes snapped open. “Fuck.”  
Bryce groaned and rolled onto his back, letting her go as she struggled away from him. “What?” His tone conveyed his irritation, but she ignored it.  
“It’s Tuesday, Bryce. Your grandfather gets his foot therapy in the sun room.” She picked up her phone. “In 10 minutes!” She hissed the time so she wouldn’t scream it. “I set my alarm. I don’t know why it didn’t go off.” Elaine pulled her panties on from their trail of clothes across his room. “I don’t even have time to go home and shower.”  
“So?” Bryce stretched and rolled over. He tucked his cheek against his arm so he could watch her tug on her clothes. “I like it when you smell like me.”  
“It’s unprofessional to smell like sex, Bryce.”  
“Why?”  
“Why?” She paused buttoning her shorts. He smiled at her frustration…and her beautiful breasts. “Because it just is.” She wrangled her bra on then tugged her shirt over it. He sighed and rolled over to her when she sat down to pull her socks and shoes on hurriedly.  
“Just tell grandpa you overslept and come take a shower with me.” He leaned up to kiss her shoulder.  
“I can’t, Bryce. Ogden already gives me so many consolations. I’m not going to abuse his generosity.” She finger-combed her hair, wincing at the pull on a tangle. “I swear I set my alarm.”  
“You did.” Again, she paused in the process of pulling her hair into ponytail. He shrugged as he spoke. “I shut it off.”  
“You what?” He didn’t repeat himself. He knew she heard him correctly. She just wanted him to say it again and he wouldn’t give her that. “Bryce, this is my job. I came here to do a job.”  
“Is that what I am too?”  
She sighed and violently pulled her hair into a ponytail. “You know damn well you’re not. And I’m not getting into this right now.”  
“What if I want to?”  
“Bryce, no.” She wanted to kiss him to let him know that everything was alright that she was just mad and would get over it. But he needed to know that he crossed a line. How the fuck did he even get into her phone? “I’ve gotta go.” She ducked out the bedroom door, shutting it quietly. She made it into the therapy room just before Ogden.  
“Morning, Ellie.”  
“Morning, Ogden.” She crossed to the sink to wash her hands and splash water on her face.  
“I trust you’re feeling rested?” She dabbed her skin as she turned to him. Though he never came out and said it, and neither would she unless he questioned her about it, he knew about her relationship with Bryce. His knowing smirk confirmed it. He took notice of her mussed up hair and the same clothes she’d worn yesterday.  
“I’m sorry I’m late. I’ll be in the sun room as soon as I gather the supplies.”  
“It’s not a problem.”  
“It is actually.”  
“Elaine.” He took her cool, clean hands in his. “You are far too hard on yourself. It’s alright.” He lifted her hands to place kisses on the knuckles. “I trust you’re hungry?”  
She didn’t have to answer. Her stomach growled. “I didn’t have time for breakfast.”  
Ogden slipped his arm around her shoulders. “You may join me for breakfast then we’ll get that foot therapy in after. Sound good?” She nodded. He looked up at the staircase as they passed by it. Bryce stood at the top, banister clenched in his hands. Ogden raised an eyebrow at the boy, who shoved off the banister and turned away with fists and jaw clenched.

Bryce knew Elaine was avoiding him. Had what he done really been so bad as to warrant cutting off all contact for days? He’d turned off her alarm so she could get sleep. And so they could spend more time in bed together. Was that really wrong? She was overreacting. Ignoring his calls and texts, leaving as soon as her job was done, being gone from the house every time he stopped by. With every avoidance, she tested his patience. He needed to remind her that she needed him.

It was late when she finished with Ogden. Herbert had called her before the sun went down. Their employer was having severe pain in his back and legs. He’d taken the pain medication but it wasn’t helping enough. Elaine had cut across the field with plenty of daylight to make it to the big house. Her return trip was the furthest thing from her mind.  
She’d helped him into bed and within minutes, he’d fallen asleep. The pills and the bourbon he’d drank them with and after, as well as her massage had allowed him enough relief to sleep. Herbert escorted her to the front door.  
“Elaine, would you like me to call Gates to give you a ride home?”  
“That’s not necessary. Thank you, Herbert.”  
“Are you quite sure? It’s late and you’re alone.”  
“Are you suggesting I have something to fear from someone on the property?”  
“No, miss. There is a good deal of wilderness on the land and I’m merely thinking of your safety regarding wild animals.”  
She squeezed his arm. “Thank you for your concern. But I’ll be fine.”  
Elaine bounded down the front stairs. Her sneakers crunched on the gravel drive until she hit grass. The moon wasn’t quite full but it lent enough light that she was able to pick her way through in the dark. A large shadow moved across the lawn from the side of the house, following her close enough to keep her in sight but not enough to make her aware of its presence.  
Her scalp prickled. That primal awareness we all have went on alert. Her heart rate and breathing kicked up. Someone was watching her. She stopped in the high grass. The moonlight illuminated most everything but she still had to squint into the dark.  
“Hello?” No one answered, but she could feel eyes on her. “Is someone there?” Again, no answer. She sighed in frustration and started walking again. That feeling didn’t go away. Her skin crawled and her stomach twisted. She moved a little faster across the rest of the field. She glanced over her shoulder and nothing, but that gaze was still there. Somewhere in the dark.  
Elaine made the tree line in a jog. She looked over her shoulder. There in the middle of the field stood a man, head to toe in black. She gasped, her eyes widening. He looked right at her. It was dark but she could have sworn they locked eyes. He knew she’d seen him. She ducked into the trees and began to run.  
Wood snapped to the side. Surely, he hadn’t gained on her THAT fast. She looked in the direction of the sound and shadow darted across her peripheral vision. She began to pant as she ran in the opposite direction the shadow. Wood snapped in front of her. She darted around it. The shadow flashed in her peripheral vision. She could FEEL them close behind her. Like they had to simply reach out and touch her.  
Hunted. She felt hunted. She turned around, expecting them to be right behind her. No. Nothing. She turned back around and nearly ran right into the man. He reached for her. His fingers brushed her arm and her hair as she dropped to a bear crawl and scrambled past him. Elaine looked around wildly. She gotten turned around at some point, but she was determined to stay away from the man at whatever cost. She’d either wind up back at the field, at her cottage, or at the road.  
The shadow moved in her periphery. He knew she was terrified, but she refused to scream. No one would hear her anyway. She wouldn’t give this fucker the satisfaction. There! There was the tree line! She could see the lights of her cottage just beyond. The man grabbed at her shoulder. His fingertips grazed her, attempting to get a grip. She slid to the side and scrambled forward again. There was no finesse to her flight. She threw herself forward. The man grabbed for her hair. She felt him grip the end of the ponytail but she pulled against him. He stumbled forward and into her back.  
Elaine crashed through the tree line. Her aching legs staggered over the gravel. The shift in terrain threw her off. She burst into the front door then slammed it behind her and locked it. She fumbled with her phone to call Gates. She lay against the wall, breathing heavily. Her hands trembled as she tried to make them work. The knock at the door made her scream and clutch her phone to her chest.  
“Ellie!” Bryce pounded on the door at her scream. “Ell, it’s me. Open the door.” She looked through the peephole. There he stood in the moonlight and the light from decorative lamp post. She jerked open the door and threw herself into his arms.  
“Bryce!”  
He held her tightly against his chest. “Ellie, what happened? What’s wrong?” She trembled in his arms.  
“There’s someone in the woods.”  
“What?”  
“He…he followed me across the field and chased me through the woods.”  
Bryce turned her face up. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?”  
She shook her head. “No, no I managed to get away from him. Did…did you see anyone?”  
“No, I came from the lake.” He urged her forward, closing the door behind them. “Did you call Gates?”  
“No, that’s what I was doing when you knocked.” He held her against his chest, soothing her with hair-petting and kisses to the top of her head.  
“Call him. And I’ll go check around the house.” He started to pull away.  
“No. No. No.” She tugged on his arms, pulling him back to her. “Don’t-don’t leave me, Bryce.” She pleaded with her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry avoided you. I was angry. Please don’t go.”  
“Ok, ok, it’s ok, baby.” He kissed her, tender and lingering. He broke away, thumbing her cheek. “I missed you, Ell.”  
“I missed you too.” He settled on the couch with her curled into his side. He smoothed her hair and held her around the waist while she talked to Gates on the phone and described the incident. “Will you…will you stay the night with me?”  
“Of course, baby.” He kissed her temple, smiling against the soft flesh there. “Of course.”


	10. Chapter 10

Bryce stepped through the tree line. The light in her bedroom was still on. He climbed the trellis and walked carefully across the roof. She must have heard something because when he moved around to look in the window she stood right there. She screamed and covered her mouth.  
“Bryce?!”  
“Hey, baby.”  
“What the fuck!” She waited until he climbed through the open window before she slugged his shoulder. “You scared the shit out of me.”  
“Sorry, Ell.” He licked his lips as he reached for her. She wore a thin tee shirt and panties. “You look delicious.”  
“Don’t try to change the subject. What the fuck are you doing?”  
“Crawling through your window?”  
“Why? You could have knocked on the door.”  
He shrugged but didn’t drop his hands. He closed the distance between them and rested those hands on her waist. “I thought it would be romantic. Like Romeo and Juliet.”  
“That is my least favorite Shakespearean play. It’s so fucked up.” She crossed her arms over her chest, which put a barrier between them but also accentuated her breasts and removed her hands for defense if she had needed them.  
“Ok…love struck teenage boy?”  
She raised an eyebrow. “Way to make me feel old. And gross.”  
Bryce laughed and swooped forward to kiss her neck. She sighed in spite of herself. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I just thought it would be romantic to sneak into your window to see you.” He straightened up to face her then leaned in. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry, baby.” Her arms loosened up. “Forgive me?”  
She sighed and dropped her hands. “I forgive you. Just…don’t do that again. Okay? I don’t like being scared like that.”  
“Let me make it up to you, Ell.” He cupped her face and tipped her head back. The soft press of his lips had her sighing again, deeper this time. He traced her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. When her tongue slid forward, they glided along each other, tasting one another. She looped her arms around his shoulders. His hands at her waist moved to her ass and lifted her up. She gave a bounce to help and wrapped her legs around his hips. He walked the steps to her bed and tumbled them into it.  
“I missed you today.” He kissed up her jaw to her ear.  
“I missed you too. It was hospital day with Mother and Maya.”  
“God, no wonder you’re so tense.” She dragged her fingertips down his back. “Get off and lay on your belly.”  
He leaned up. “I thought I was supposed to be making it up to you.”  
“You can after.”  
“Alright.” He pecked her lips then clamored off the bed. He peeled off his shirt. Bryce smirked at her appreciation of his body. Her teeth captured her bottom lip and she rubbed her thighs together. He rubbed his abdomen. “Like what you see, baby girl?”  
“I do.” He took his time popping the button of his jeans and lowering the zipper. He teased his thumb along the elastic band of his boxers, smirking when she licked her lips then bit the bottom one again. He grabbed his semi-hard cock through the denim and squeezed. “You gonna tease me or strip?”  
“How about both?”  
It was her turn to smirk as she scooted forward to the edge of the bed. He lowered his jeans to the floor and stepped out of them and his shoes. Her palms caressed up his thighs on the outside of his boxers then down and up under. He shoved his fingers through his hair. His cock twitched and swelled more, growing harder. Her nails scraped his thick thighs when she brought her hands back down and out of his boxers. His breath shuddered. He stared down at her with lust blown eyes, the black of the pupil rimmed in perfect blue.  
“Now who’s teasing?” He pushed the boxers down and fell out. She sat close enough that he bumped her lips and chin. She grinned as she opened her mouth and reached for it with both hands. Ellie cradled his balls in one hand. She held his shaft up so that she could lick a long, slow line up the vein on the underside of his cock. He shuddered and flexed his hands in the air. “Oh fuck, baby.”  
Elaine smiled, wrapping her lips around the sensitive head of his cock. He cursed on his breath. He’d been given head before. By eager, inexperienced girls his age and younger. By whores in New York and Paris and London even, both male and female. But her mouth…fuck, it was heaven. Maybe it was because he loved her. Maybe that’s why pleasure scorched along his nerves as her tongue licked the ridge of his cock head. Why his hips bucked when she lowered down his cock, taking as much as she could into her hot mouth. Her hand stroked up when she pulled her mouth back.  
“Fucking Christ, I love your mouth, Ell.” He brushed the hair from her face. “Let me see you, baby. Look at me.” She looked up as she bobbed up and down on his long, thick cock. Her lips massaged every vein in velvety soft skin. He groaned. “You’re so fucking sexy, Ell.” His mouth dropped open, jaw set. He cradled the back of her head, adding a slow roll of his hips to get further into her mouth. She moaned around his cock and the vibrations, and her enjoyment, made him close his eyes. His fingers flexed in her hair.  
She pulled off his cock with a wet, pop and licked her lips. His belly twisted, his cock twitching in her hand, when she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Want me to keep going?”  
“Yes and no.”  
She stroked him, kitten-licking his head like a fucking ice cream cone. “Which is it, baby?”  
“No, I want you face down, ass up.” He grabbed her by her upper arm and pulled her up to her feet then flung her to the bed. She giggled at the manhandling. He grabbed her panties at the small of her back and jerked them down her thighs. Seams popped.  
“Easy, baby.” He breathed heavily, running his manicured hands up her thighs, over the swell of her ass. His hands went under the tee shirt and pushed it up while they smoothed up her back. She pushed up to kneeling and pulled the tee off and tossed it.  
Bryce growled and grabbed her breasts, massaging them harshly in circles. She hadn’t seen him this rough, incensed before. She liked it. She pushed her bare ass against his hard cock, smearing her cheeks with his precum. He groaned and pulled her harder against him. One hand left her breasts to cup her pussy. “So wet, baby. You like sucking my dick?”  
“Yes, Bryce.” She turned her head so he could kiss her. He shoved his tongue in her mouth, his usual charm and finesse gone in sloppy haste. He fisted his hand in her hair then shoved her forward, letting go to smack her ass. He watched her shiver.  
“Ass up, baby. Spread those knees.” She did as he said. His fingertips strummed her clit rapidly. The jolt of pleasure made her legs shake. The stretch of her cunt around his cock burned as he pushed inside, not giving her time to adjust. But his fingers were back on her clit. He set a harsh pace. Her body clenched around him even as she stretched and got wetter. “Oh fuck, Ellie.”  
Elaine pushed back into his rutting thrusts. He kissed and nipped at her spine and shoulder. The mattress muffled her cries and she clutched the sheets. Bryce reached under her to grab onto her breast, using it as leverage for him to fuck into her harder. He growled and grunted between saying her name and ‘fuck’. Her legs shook harder the closer she got to release. He cantered his hips so his cock head hit that sweet spot and her vision went white. “Oh god, Bryce…right there…right there! Don’t stop!”  
“Hadn’t planned on it, baby girl.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, locking her body against his. His fingers didn’t let up on her clit. Her body bucked and twisted until she stiffened up, going almost paralytic. Her hands white-knuckled on the sheets as she came. He had a split second thought as his balls drew up that he wasn’t wearing a condom. But then again, he hadn’t been wearing one their first time together. Too late to pull out and cum on her back and ass, his hips stuttered as he came. His last few pumps coating his cum on her fluttering walls.  
They collapsed to the bed, still connected. Their panting breaths joined the sound of the breeze coming through the window and the ceiling fan rapidly turning above. He kissed her shoulder then pushed off. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Her body ached in the best way. She knew she’d have bruises from his fingers and biting kisses. And she didn’t give a single fuck.  
Bryce returned with a warm, wet wash cloth. He kissed her thighs as he gently cleaned her off of their combined fluids. He settled into bed and she cuddled against him.  
“You don’t mind that I stay the night?”  
“Not in the least.” She kissed his chest and laid her head back down. Bryce tucked an arm under his head then turned out the bedside lamp. He kissed her head then settled back. He smirked into the darkened room. He would have to be more careful. She let this time slide, but she wouldn’t the next. And he wouldn’t be able to explain it away.


	11. Chapter 11

Another late evening call had Elaine back at the big house. Between Ogden’s therapy and spending time with Bryce, she was spending more and more time there. Tonight, she was exhausted. She had a migraine throbbing that wouldn’t ease up with medication and she just wanted to lay in bed, in the dark and not do anything.  
She finished putting away her supplies and turned to leave. Bryce stood in the doorway, watching her. She startled, hard. “Bryce, goddammit. What the fuck?” She thought he liked scaring her. She’d have been right.  
“Sorry, babe. I just like watching you.” He crossed the room and rested his hands on her waist. “You’re so fucking beautiful and you’re all mine.” He bumped her forehead with his and she flinched then pulled away. “What? What’s wrong?”  
“I’ve got a migraine.” Her head gave a throb. He pulled her against him and rubbed up and down her back. “I just want to lay down in the dark and not move.”  
“Come on. Let’s go upstairs then.” His palms caressed down her upper arms. He tried to take both hands in his but she pulled away again. He clenched his jaw.  
“I really just want to go back to my place. I don’t want to be a bother.”  
“You’re not.” He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. “I’ll take care of you.”  
She scoffs and it wasn’t a polite sound. “I know how you’ll take care of me.”  
“What’s the supposed to mean?” She sighed and shook her head.  
“Nothing, I just mean that we’ll have sex. We always start innocently cuddling or snuggling then we’re fucking.” She shook her head too fast and had to reach for the counter to steady herself. “And I cannot, cannot, handle that right now.”  
Bryce frowned. “Ellie?” She didn’t answer. “Ell?” He turned her around. “Are you implying that I would force you to have sex?”  
“No.” Maybe. Yes? She sighed and dropped her crossed arms. “I just don’t feel good and I want to rest. And you make it very hard to say no, even when I want to.”  
He stared at her hard. “If I’ve made you feel like your consent doesn’t matter, that was never my intention. I just want to make you feel good. Make you happy.” He curled a finger under her chin and tipped her head back. “Let me take care of you, baby?” He felt her hesitation. “I promise to be good.”  
Elaine sighed. “Alright.”  
He pressed his thumbs into her cheeks lightly as he kissed her. She sighed when he pulled away, their lips sticking together then finally letting go. “I want to take care of you. Let me take care of you.” She swallowed and nodded. Her heart squeezed at the vulnerability, the earnestness in his eyes. Then he smiled, blinding like the sun. “Let’s go, baby.” Bryce slipped his arm around her waist. Ellie let her head rest against his shoulder.  
Ellie slipped out of her shorts and kicked off her shoes before snuggling down into the side of the bed she slept on when she slept over. She drifted off, dazed by the aching in her skull. “Ellie. Ell?” She woke up hard. Her head gave an agonizing thump and she sobbed. Bryce shushed her. “Hey, hey, it’s ok, baby. I’ve got you. Can you sit up for me?”  
“Bryce.” She whined. “I just wanna sleep. You promised.”  
“I know. Now, sit up for me.” She huffed but kept her eyes closed as she sat up. “Take this.”  
“What is it?”  
“It’s a pain killer for your head. I called Patrick.”  
“Who?”  
“Dr. Leffler.”  
“Oh.” She took the pill from him and swallowed, chasing it with the entire glass of cold water in his other hand. She started to lay back down but he caught her arms. “What now, Bryce? I hurt.”  
“I know, baby. You said I could take care of you.” She sighed and sat back up. Her bottom lip pouted it and fuck it all if he didn’t think it was adorable. He leaned in and kissed her pout. “I promise it’s worth it.” Bryce reached for the hem of her tee and pulled it upward.  
“Bryce, no.” She lowered her arms against his hands to keep him from getting the shirt over her breasts.  
“Baby, hey. Hey.” They sat like that for a moment. “Open your eyes, Ell.” She opened them to find him naked in front of her.   
“Bryce.” She hated the way she sounded, whiney and exasperated and annoyed. She sighed and tried to push him away. “Why are you naked?”  
“Do you trust me?” He held the back of her neck in his large, manicured hand. He gazed into her eyes with clear and earnest eyes. He hated to see her in pain. She’d been whimpering and moaning the entire time she slept as he ran the bath and lit the sparse candles. He had called Patrick; not to get her that pill, but to see if any of his grandfather’s prescriptions would work for her migraine.  
“Y-yes.”  
“Then let me take care of you.”  
“No sex.”  
“No sex. I promise.” She lowered her arms. He carefully pulled the tee over her head before she propped herself up on her hands. He kissed her belly gently then kissed the top of each breast as he unclasped her bra. His fingertips glided silkily down her arms, carrying the straps. “Lay back.” She didn’t have to be told twice. Her head swam though at the position change before she felt the pain start to dull just slightly under the effects of the medication.  
He leaned over her. His chest squeezed with what he could only think was love. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes and she was his. His forever. He kissed her breasts again then her belly. He kissed each of her thighs before he tugged her panties down and pulled off her socks. He placed one final kiss to her mons before he gathered her into his arms. Her breath hitched but she made no other sound or reaction.  
He’d lit a few candles around the spacious bathroom. And he’d filled the Jacuzzi bathtub with hot, hot water. He stepped into it with her still in his arms. “I need you to stand up for a second, Ell.” She put a hand on to the wall to steady her. He settled against the sloped side then tugged her hand. She sat with her back against his chest, caged between his legs.  
“Bryce?”  
He hummed. “Yea, babe?”  
“I’m sorry.”  
He wrapped his muscular arms around her. “Don’t worry about it. Just relax and let me take care of you.” He used his hands to pour water over her body. Each sigh tugged at his smile. His hands caressed her once more when her skin was wet from neck to belly, where the water reached. “Sit forward, baby.”  
Tendrils of steam rose off the surface of the water and their exposed skin. Shadows danced on the walls from the flickering candle flames. The water made soft splashing sounds and they moved. “Close your eyes and lean your head back.” She relished the hot water being poured over her scalp and his elegant fingers combing through her tresses. She moaned softly. The pill had taken the brunt of the pain away so she was able to relax and enjoy his gentle care of her. “You like that?”  
“I do.”  
Bryce kissed her shoulder. “Maybe we should do this more often.”  
“Without the head pain.”  
“Preferably.” He poured a dollop of scented shampoo onto his palm then rubbed his hands together. The steam enriched the scent and filled their lungs. She sighed contentedly as his fingers worked the lather through her hair and massaged her scalp. He gathered her hair into a ponytail, careful to keep his movements slow and easy so he didn’t increase her pain. He kissed and nibbled across her shoulders and the back of her neck. She shivered, her nipples pulling tight at the chill air against her wet skin and his attention. “You like that.”  
“Yes.” He rinsed her hair then went back to the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He kissed harder, bit a little firmer. His arms circled her and covered her breasts. His cock nudged the small of her back. She sighed and pushed back against it.  
“You keep that up and I’m gonna have a hard time keeping my promise.” He kissed the tender flesh behind her ear. “Be good, baby.” He settled back against the slope and pulled her body tighter against his. They interlocked their fingers, resting them on her belly. Her feet skimmed along his shins. His chest rose and fell under her before he kissed her temple. “I love you, Ell.” And he meant it.  
“I love you, Bryce.” His kisses began again. Temple, jaw, throat, shoulder. A hand slipped free of her and dipped below the water.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tag has already been added to the work, but I'm putting a ****trigger warning here for panic attacks and fear of drowning.****

Elaine no longer took the field home. If it was late, Bryce nearly always took home. Gates did if Bryce was gone. They’d found the tracks where she’d been chased through the woods, but there wasn’t any other evidence of who it could have been. They assumed it had been the same person Maddie had seen outside the cottage months ago. Gates made the decision to station a guard outside of Ellie’s gate. This prevented Bryce from watching her through the window at night. But most nights now, she was either in his bed or he was in hers.  
“Ellie!” Elaine paused at the door. Maya came running down the front stairs. “I want to show you something.”  
“Alright.”  
“Leave your bag here.”  
“Okay?”  
“Trust me.” Maya bounced on her feet. Elaine set her bag down and followed the girl out of the front door. They crossed a field of wildflowers. The afternoon sun shone down on them as they strolled through the tall grass. Ellie picked a handful of flowers. “So you and Bryce are a thing now?”  
Ellie blushed. “Yeah, I think we are? I don’t want to assume.”  
“Do you love him?”  
There was a slight hesitation, but only at being so vulnerable with the young girl. But this was Bryce’s sister. If they were an item, she could trust her, right? “I do.”  
“He loves you too. I’ve never seen him this sprung for a girl. It’s like an obsession. If he’s not talking about the youth center, he’s talking about you.” She shook her head. “It’s pretty gross actually.” They both laughed. They reached the edge of the lake.  
“Where are we going?”  
“It’s my secret place.” She pointed to an island across the way.  
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”  
“Oh, we’re not swimming. I usually take the boat.” She gestured to a two-person row boat.  
Elaine shook her head. “No, I can’t.” She lowered the flowers to her side and took another step back from the water. Logically, she knew she was far enough back and even in the shallows, she would be fine. But her fear of drowning wasn’t logical and after the incident with Ian at the pool, it was raw and fresh. She knew the water wasn’t going to drag her in by her ankles and drown her but that didn’t stop her heart from starting to pound.  
“Oh.” Maya looked down at the boat. “But, hey. There’s a bridge on the other side. It’s a bit of a walk and we’ll have to walk back across the island but we could do that?” She looked at the woman with hopeful eyes.  
Ellie took a slow deep breath and nodded. “Yea. Yea, we can do that.” They walked around the lake. Maya talked about her competitive jockeying. Even being wealthy didn’t give her much of an edge in the male dominated sport. She told Elaine about the horses. The roans that Grandfather had bought her when she was 10. The stud was her competitive horse. The mare was her recreational horse. She extended the offer to come by the stable to see them and Elaine accepted.  
Before long, they were around the lake and crossing the bridge. It gave a complainant groan as they passed over. “Don’t worry. It’s sturdy. It just doesn’t get much use.” Maya bounced and the wood gave a loud pop but the bridge didn’t move. Ellie grabbed onto the railing. “Come on. We’re almost there.” Maya grabbed her hand, practically dragging her across the rest of the bridge. Another small trek across the island and they were on a cobblestone path.  
A one room cottage sat on the rise. Windows on every side, Maya opened French doors. “This is my secret place.” There were canvases propped against the lower part of the walls, some bare and painted. Three easels stood in the middle of the room.  
“It’s lovely, Maya.”  
“Grandfather is the only other person that knows I paint.” She sighed. “Mother thinks it’s a waste of time.”  
“If it’s something you love, it’s not a waste.”  
“Thanks, Ellie.” Maya surprised her by hugging her around the waist. “I’m really glad Grandpa hired you.” Ellie hugged her back. The girl was starved for maternal, or perhaps sisterly, affection.  
“Thank you for showing me this.”  
“You’re welcome to come here anytime.”  
“I love the offer, honey, but this is your place.” She cupped her face. “I have an idea.”  
“What’s that?”  
“Why don’t you come into the city with me? We can go shopping and do lunch and a spa. Stay the night?”  
“You’d do that?”  
“Well, yeah, I wouldn’t have asked you.”  
“Mother promises trips all the time. But she never goes anywhere. It’s like she’s in the coma with Daddy.” Funny, Ellie had felt the same thing.  
“Then it’s a plan. You let me know the day and I’ll ask your grandfather.”  
“Thanks, Ellie.” Maya squeezed her tighter.  
“You’re welcome, Maya.” They turned to leave the little cottage. “Would you like to have lunch with me?”  
“I can’t. I’ve got plans with Paige.”  
“Good.” They started up the path and through the copse of trees. Elaine noticed someone walking along the edge of the lake as they started across the bridge. She recognized Bryce when he turned onto the bridge.  
“Hey! There you are!” Bryce headed their way. They had just passed the halfway point when the wooden bridge gave a loud pop and groaned. Maya and Elaine screamed as it lurched lower. “Stay there! Don’t move!”  
“Bryce!” He moved carefully forward. The wood snapped and dropped into the water. Maya started treading water as she soon it flooded over. Elaine began to panic, holding onto the railing. She finally let it go when it almost dragged her under. Her frantic paddling churned up the water. Bryce swam toward them.  
“Maya, get to shore.”  
“What about Elaine?”  
“Just get to shore!” Bryce approached her slowly. “Ellie? Ell?”  
“Bryce. Bryce.”  
“I’m here. I’ve got you.” She clung to him. “Baby, I need you to calm down.”  
“I don’t want to drown, Bryce. I don’t want to die.”  
Bryce tread water and held her around the waist with one arm. He pushed the wet hair from her face and looked her in the eyes. “I’m not going to let that happen. I need you to try to be calm, baby.”  
“I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.” Her breathing increased and her words rose in pitch.  
He kissed her hard, shocking her hysteria loose. “Elaine, listen to me. I need you to get on my back. Wrap your arms around my chest. Okay? I’ve got you.” She nodded then shook her head, breaking down into sobs. “Elaine! I need you to go this.” He shook her face. “Do you trust me?”  
“I d-d-do.”  
“Then baby, get on my back. Wrap your arms around my chest.” Elaine clung to him tightly, digging her nails along his flesh as he manhandled her onto his back. She locked her arms around his torso tightly. Her body trembled and she sobbed hard as Bryce swam them to shore. She collapsed into grass. Her eyes glassy and chest rapidly rising and falling.  
“She’s having a panic attack.”  
“Ell, baby. You need to calm down. Breathe. Breathe with me.”  
“Can’t. Can’t breathe.” Her chest felt tight. Even though she was out of the water, she could feel the water flooding her lungs.  
“Maya, go get Gates!” The little girl took off in the direction of the big house.  
Bryce lifted her into his arms and hurried after his sister. “I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you.”


	13. Chapter 13

Ogden sat at his desk. He clenched his jaw and flexed his hand. His nostrils were flared with his anger. He looked at the report in front of him again. “And you’re absolutely sure?”  
“We found his prints on the hand saw found in the grass around the lake. The bridge’s supports had been weakened by a saw. We think he meant to come back for the saw and either forgot or didn’t get to it before we did.”  
“How did the prints survive under the water?”  
“Oil and water don’t mix, Ogden. The natural oils on his fingers set the prints. Then the saw was able to partially dry in the sun before it was recovered.”  
Ogden sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Bury it.”  
“But-“  
“Bury it, Gates. Maya and Elaine were not injured. The bridge can be rebuilt.”  
“Sir, he’s only going to escalate.”  
“You don’t know that.”  
Gates sighed. “No, I don’t but I’ve seen this type of behavior before.” The man squared his shoulders. “You didn’t see Elaine when they brought her in. Girl passed out and was given oxygen.”  
“He’d never do anything to hurt her.”  
“You sure about that, sir?”  
“I think you should leave now, Gates.” Ogden slapped the file closed and snapped it the officer. Gates caught it, managing not to lose any of the papers. “And bury that report.” He enunciated every word with venom.

“You’re sure?”  
“Yes, ma’am. Would you like to schedule an appointment?”  
“No, not yet.”  
“Call us back anytime to, Ms. Ferris.”  
“Thank you.” Elaine slowly sat down on the couch, staring at the phone in her hand. She shoved her fingers through her hair then closed her fist to keep them from shaking. How did this happen? She mentally kicked herself. She fucking knew how it happened. She’d been careless and irresponsible. The front door opened.  
“Babe! You up?”  
“I’m-“ Her throat felt tight so she cleared it. “I’m in here!”  
Bryce kissed her cheek from behind then vaulted over the back of the couch and dropped to sit next to her. He noticed her pale complexion and her trembling hands. “Baby, are you ok?”  
She did the math in her head. It had been months since she’d taken her birth control. She was more than two weeks late. They’d been having sex on the regular for longer than she’d been off her birth control. And they hadn’t always used protection.  
“Baby, say something.” Bryce sat forward and turned to look at her.  
“I’m pregnant.”  
“What?” He sat up straighter.  
“I just got off the phone with the hospital following up from my visit. I’m pregnant.” Bryce stood up, unable to stay sitting down. While he hadn’t intended for this to happen, it played perfectly into his hands. “If you don’t want it, Bryce, I understand. We can get an abortion.”  
“No.” Her head snapped up. He shook his head even as he paced the room. “No, Ell. No abortion.” He sat on the coffee table in front of her. He took her hands in his. “Is that what you want?”  
“I don’t know. I never thought about kids.”  
“Me neither.” His thumbs rubbed the backs of her hands. “If you want an abortion, we can-I mean, you can get one. I’ll support you. I’ll pay for it. But-“ He let go of one of her hands and tipped her chin up. “If you want this baby, if you want our baby, we’ll raise it together.”  
“Bryce-“ Her head was a mess.  
“I love you, Ellie. And a baby doesn’t change that.” His thumb caressed her cheek. “Marry me.” She opened her mouth to protest. “Now, before you say I don’t have to because of the baby or that you don’t belong, that doesn’t matter to me. I love you and you belong with me.”  
“I love you too. I just…”  
“Hey, whatever you decide about the baby, I still wanna marry you.”  
“You don’t mean that.”  
“I do. I’ve never meant anything more in my life.” He shifted forward onto one knee. “I don’t have a ring on me. We’ll go get one. Today. Just say yes.”  
Elaine searched her earnest face with watery eyes. “You’re sure? About me? About the baby?”  
“Yes, yes, all of it. I want you. I want the baby. I want our family. Our future. I never knew I wanted anything like this but after knowing you and being with you, I do. So marry me, Ell.”

Ogden lay in the bed. His chest felt tight. It was a bad day. He’d canceled therapy that morning, which Elaine had been more than accommodating. His breath rasped. Herbert had already called Dr. Leffler. The man promised to be out as soon as his office closed.  
The bedroom door opened with a knock. Bryce poked his head in. “Grandpa? You awake?”  
“Come in, Bryce.” He sighed. Now was as good a time as any to broach the subject.  
“I’ve got some good news.”  
“I want to talk to you first. Sit.” Bryce frowned. More accurately, his joyous grin fell. Grandpa only ever told him to sit when he scolded him.  
“What’s going on?”  
Ogden sighed. “Why? Why’d you do it, Bryce?”  
He laughed incredulously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
The old man sighed. And it was more than tired. It sounded debilitated. “The bridge, boy. Why did you sabotage the bridge?”  
“The bridge?”  
“Don’t play stupid. Your prints were on a saw found nearby.” Bryce clenched his jaw, flexing his fists at his sides. He still hadn’t sat down. “Why’d you do it?”  
“She needed to need me.”  
“Who? Maya?” Ogden appeared to rethink it. “Elaine.” Bryce didn’t respond. “That was a wretched thing to do. You know how she feels about water. And what if your sister had been hurt?”  
“Maya was fine. They’re both fine. I don’t see the big deal.”  
“Your sister or the woman you claim to love could have been killed!” He coughed harshly. “It was you that attacked Ian Mccallum, wasn’t it?” Again, Bryce didn’t answer. “I have no idea what’s wrong with you. You’ve been given everything. Everything!” Ogden coughed. “First your father-“  
“What about my father?”  
Ogden leveled him with a cruel stare. “The truth, Bryce. That was no accident.” Ogden fussed with the blankets over his weakening body. “I’m dismissing Elaine. Whatever game you’re playing with her is over. Get out. I’m tired.”  
“I’m not letting Elaine go.”  
“It’s not up for discussion, Bryce. Now, get out.”  
Rage. Bryce was filled with an endless rage. Elaine was his. The baby was his. He shot across the bed, grabbing the pillow as he went. He held it fast over Ogden’s face until the man ceased to move. He pulled the pillow back slowly. Whereas time had felt like it had stopped, it jumped forward. He dropped the pillow and scrambled off the bed, running for the door.  
“Help! Help! Grandpa’s not breathing!”


	14. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. This is the end.

Mrs. Langley walked into the sunroom, stepping on a rattle. She sighed and shoved it aside with the pointed toe of her high heel. Her irritation melted away at the bright, exuberant laughter of her grandson. Ellie blew on his pudgy tummy and lightly tickled his sides.  
“Any plans for today?”  
Elaine turned her head as much as she could. Her infant son had handfuls of hair on either side of her head, grinning a toothless maw. “Bryce wanted us to make the trip into town to see the youth center’s progress.”  
“Would you like me to sit with Oggie?”  
Elaine sat up, having pried her hair from the baby’s hands. “Are you sober?”  
Her mother-in-law sighed dejectedly. “Yes, I am sober, Elaine.”  
“Then yes, you may sit with him. Herbert and Jilly will be here if you need anything. And you can message myself or Bryce.”  
“I have raised two children, Elaine. I’m aware of how infants work.” Ellie began to pick up the toys on the soft carpet of the sun room, stealthily hiding the roll of her eyes. “Now, hand me my grandson and go visit my son.” Mrs. Langley held out her arms for the baby.  
Ellie kissed her son’s chubby cheek. “Mommy loves you, Oggie.” She handed the boy over to her mother-in-law.  
The last year had been a whirlwind. Ogden’s funeral. Nathaniel’s funeral. Her wedding to Bryce. The baby’s birth. Mrs. Langley’s sobriety. All these things circled over in her mind as she drove through the lush green trees, dappled with golden sunlight. The Jaguar rolled to a stop in ‘her’ parking spot next to Bryce’s Rolls Royce SUV.  
She didn’t see him hovering around the edge of the work. Tucking the sunglasses into her hair, she made her way to the overseer’s trailer. She pushed open the door, letting a bright slash of light into the paneled monstrosity. A window air unit mounted into the wall growled as it blew out a constant stream of cool air.  
“Good, good, that’s great. We’ll expect you in the afternoon. Thanks again.” Bryce tossed his phone on the desk and leaned back.  
“Rough day?”  
“Always for the boss.” He held out his hand. “Come here.” She locked the door before crossing to him. He pulled her into his lap and pressed his face into her breasts. “Where’s Oggie?”  
“With your Mother.”  
He hummed. “She’s doing better.”  
“She has her moments.” He continued to rub his face back and forth and up and down. Ellie sighed, looping her arms around his shoulders.  
“She’s good with Oggie. That’s all that matters.”  
“I suppose your right.” She combed her fingers through his hair. “How much time do we have?”  
“As long as you want, wife.”  
She hummed and slid off his lap. “Good, husband.” He quirked an eyebrow as she rucked her skirt up and tugged her panties off. He licked his lips, watching her open her mouth and tuck the fabric there. He stood up before she finished turning around and bending over the desk. He stroked his hand over her ass then flipped up her skirt. His cock grew hard to his pulls and tugs and his delicious, dirty wife. He would do anything for her. He had the thought that he would do and he had done anything to get what was his. And Elaine was his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He did it. He got away with everything. That fucker got his happy ending despite everything I tried to stop it. He didn't get redemption. There was no redeeming him.


End file.
